Over at WildStorm, former X-Men writer Peter Milligan debuts The Programme, a new series in collaboration with artist CP Smith.  According to the solicitations, it's a twelve issue miniseries, although there's no mention of that on the comic itself.

The WildStorm imprint has had a rough time of it lately, despite launching some intriguingly quirky superhero titles (a few of which even ship regularly).  WildStorm seems to see itself as bridging the gap between the DC Universe and Vertigo, and The Programme fits into that model quite nicely.

Basically, it seems to be a story about genetically engineered supersoldiers turning up and upsetting the balance of power.  American soldiers in the Middle East get annihilated by a mysterious superhuman insurgent.  The US government turns to Max, a middle aged man who doesn't know that he's an aging superman.

I've read a lot of good reviews of this book.  But I have to admit that even as somebody who likes a lot of Peter Milligan's work, this doesn't do anything for me.  The concept - real-life superhero upsets balance of power - has been done plenty of times before, and I don't really see where this is adding anything new.  There's a sombre atmosphere to the whole thing that occasionally lapses into Milligan's trademark deadpan incongruities.  The characters are ciphers, and the story never gives us a reason to care.

CP Smith is an interesting artist, but his visual style tends to overpower his stories.  There's an awful lot of people in darkened rooms here, even when it makes no sense - is there "psychotherapy in the dark" movement that I was unaware of?  Whether through poor reproduction or questionable inking, a lot of detail is blurred and confused.  There's a bizarre mismatch between extremely detailed elements obviously taken from photo reference and sickly, artificial colour schemes.  Smith isn't colouring his own work here, but it's a recurring theme with his art, so I'm assuming that's how he wanted it.  It's just strange and alienating.

I was quite looking forward to this book, but I'm afraid it's a big disappointment.  There's nothing here that I feel I can engage with.

Rating: C+

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