Superheroes who have to balance work and parenthood isn’t a common idea in comics. But it’s by no means new — Buddy Baker, the hero of DC’s Animal Man, has a wife and two kids to protect. Marvel’s Jessica Jones balances motherhood, a spot on the Avengers squad, and running a private investigation firm.
However, even among multi-tasking, family-oriented comic book stars, Nicole, the star of the new independently published series Raising Dion, is unique. A widowed, black single mother, Nicole has no superpowers of her own. Her son, Dion, is the one with emerging superhuman abilities.
The comic, created and written by Dennis Liu, aims to show readers what it’s like to raise someone who may become the next great superhero...or the most terrifying supervillain the world has ever seen.
The first issue of Liu’s new comic (available as a free download from the author’s website) introduces readers to Nicole and Dion, and tells the story of how Nicole met her husband Mark, Dion’s father. One night, on a camping trip, Mark witnesses a strange phenomenon in the sky, and is struck by a powerful flash of light. Whatever side effects Mark picks up from his experience, he passes on to his son when Dion is conceived.
Dion’s powers, which include telekinesis, invisibility, and lasers that shoot from his hands, are constantly in flux. Nicole has to adapt her mothering skills to fit whatever new ways her son has discovered to make trouble. She does get some help from her husband’s friend, Pat, but the work of raising her supernaturally-gifted son falls squarely on her own shoulders.
It’s a fantastic concept for a series, and Liu does a solid job of depicting a loving, powerful relationship between mother and son. Nicole is a great mom, protective and strict, but not smothering. Artist Jason Piperberg also does an excellent job with illustrations, providing bright colors and evoking a fun, classic-comic atmosphere.
What doesn’t work quite as well yet is the storytelling. Parts of Liu’s writing feel clunky and underdeveloped. Although there are hints at Nicole’s backstory beyond her relationship with her late husband, what’s been presented so far feels like a rough sketch, rather than a small part of a larger picture.
Much like its pint-sized future superhero, time (and further issues) will show how Raising Dion grows, explores the lives of its characters, and deepens its story. It’s got a strong premise, and an important perspective that lends the fledgling series gobs of potential. What remains to be seen is if Liu’s comic will measure up to everything it promises to be.
Abby Olcese is a freelance film critic and writer based in Missouri. You can find her on Twitter @abbyolcese.
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