It’s hard to believe, but it’s almost been two full years since we got the first episode of Peacemaker on Max. Not only has it been a long while since Season 1 aired, but it’s also been some time since a Season 2 update was announced.
But for those who fell in love with the character in the John Cena-led show, or even before that when he appeared in The Suicide Squad, there’s a recently completed DC Black Label title worth checking out.
Peacemaker Tries Hard!
The six-issue series began back in May and concluded in early October. The hardcover collected edition appears to be on pace for an early February release. Wrangling all the single issues might be a tough task ahead of the holidays, but this is definitely something to put on the radar of your local comic shop. Here’s the series synopsis:
Christopher Smith isn’t very good at being a superhero, but Peacemaker tries hard! An “extremely ages 17+” book from writer Kyle Starks and artist Steve Pugh puts Peacemaker on a quest to save his beloved dog from a super-villain who has some nefarious plans for Christopher Smith’s skill set.
After being released from the Suicide Squad, Peacemaker wants to try and do normal superhero stuff for a change. However, when busting up a terrorist ring introduces Christopher Smith to the cutest dog he’s ever seen, he finds the unconditional love he’s been denied his whole life. That is, until the dog is kidnapped right out from under him by a super-villain who has some very un-super-heroic plans for Peacemaker’s brand of ultraviolence. Will he help an infamously unstable super-powered criminal steal the world’s most valuable—and dangerous—DNA?
The series is written by Kyle Starks, drawn by Steve Pugh, colored by Jordie Bellaire and lettered by Becca Carey. Quite frankly, it’d be a major missed opportunity if DC doesn’t get this team back together for another Peacemaker story.
Starks is on the rise at the moment. Between I Hate This Place for Skybound and Where Monsters Lie for Dark Horse, then this, he’s on a heater. If you’ve read those two non-DC titles or any of his other previous work, you know comedy is his strength. That’s on full display throughout Peacemaker Tries Hard!
Anyone who’s seen the show or his theatrical appearance knows Peacemaker doesn’t have the strongest social skills. (If you’ve seen the show, you know it’s because his dad was a real piece of work.) Starks amplifies that even more in this series, to the point where Peacemaker’s personality controls the focus of the plot. Instead of locking in on the real problem, the driving force is a man who just wants his dog back.
And the combination of Pugh and Bellaire further add to the comedic tone of Peacemaker Tries Hard! Their combined style has an old-school vibe to it, but there’s also a modern refinement to their approach. That also plays well because there are a few Golden Age characters in the mix.
Again, if you like the show or know someone who does, this is a must-read series.