True Believers (comics)

Infobox comic book title
title = True Believers


caption = Cover art for "True Believers" #1.
schedule = Monthly
limited = y
publisher = Marvel Comics
date = September 2008 - present
issues = 5
Superhero = y
main_char_team = Payback
Headtrip
Red Zone
Battalus
writers = Cary Bates
artists = Paul Gulacy
pencillers =
inkers =
colorists = Rain Beredo
creative_team_month =
creative_team_year =
creators = Cary Bates
Paul Gulacy
TPB =
ISBN =
subcat = Marvel Comics
sort = True Believers (comics)

"True Believers" is an American comic book limited series from Marvel Comics, written by Cary Bates, with art by Paul Gulacy. [ [http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=157681 Cary Bates on True Believers at Marvel] , Newsarama, May 21, 2008] [ [http://www.comicon.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=36;t=007267 Cary Bates is a True Believers at Marvel] , Comicon, June 16, 2008] [ [http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=17324 KEEP 'EM HONEST: Bates on "True Believers"] , Comic Book Resources, July 21, 2008]

Publication history

The series launched as a five part storyline in July 30th, 2008.

Characters

The four main team members are:

* Payback - Mavis Trent, a S.H.I.E.L.D. data analyst who uses her position to keep the True Believers safe from the Superhuman Registration Act.Powers - Able to transform into a silver skinned energy form.

* Headtrip
* Red Zone
* Battalus

Plot

The series involves a team of new characters digging into the background goings-on in the Marvel Universe. The team is led by Payback, Mavis Trent, a S.H.I.E.L.D. data analyst.

Though a miniseries, True Believers is unusual in that each issue contains a central plot that is resolved by the end. Issue 1 features the team ending an underground fight club. This club is run by rich and powerful men who pay to have women abducted, drugged and forced to fight one another.

The second issue deals with a conspiracy to frame Reed Richards, Mr. Fantastic of the Fantastic Four, for driving under the influence of alcohol. This issue also sees Payback with Reynolds' psychiatrist Dr. Cornelius Worth discussing her feelings with her father.

Reception

The first issue had estimated sales of 17,151 copies, placing it at number 132 in the sales chart. [ [http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=17852 Sales Estimates for July, 2008] , Comic Book Resources, August 26, 2008] Issue #2 dropped to an estimate of 12,838 (149th). [ [http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=18289 Sales Estimates for August, 2008] , Comic Book Resources, October 1, 2008]

"True Believers" has received mixed reviews. For instance, Broken Frontier was less impressed, feeling it didn't live up to expectations suggesting "it is rather disappointing given what one might have hoped for" and that the "tone established by the writing crosses over to the art as well: it shows some nice potential, but fails to realize it fully". However, they also feel that all hope isn't lost and if "Bates and Gulacy really put their minds to it and are willing to push the limits of what they can do with this concept, it just might turn into something very special indeed. Keep an eye out for future issues" [ [http://www.brokenfrontier.com/reviews/details.php?id=1980 Review of "True Believers" #1] , Broken Frontier] Comic Book Resources agrees and suggests that the story "is an original and timely concept, but the weak execution doesn't carry it well. Bates' craft seems to be a little rusty at best, and feels more than a little outdated at times" and that problems with the art partly come from script problems as "any artist would struggle to fit 15 panels on one page and still maintain a good flow." [ [http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=user_review&id=281 True Believers #1] , Comic Book Resources] Comics Bulletin is largely positive and concludes that "overall this issue presents an interesting if somewhat vague introduction to the characters" with the only downside being the colouring "Beredo does an estimable job but the technique seems so common that it fails to add anything". [ [http://www.comicsbulletin.com/reviews/121738801299711.htm "True Believers" #1] , Comics Bulletin] They stop just shy of awarding full marks to the second issue, largely because the reviewer feels "a certain detachment from the principal character," but the minor niggles about the art in the first issue have been addressed and they declare that they are "prepared to ratchet up my praise for Rain Beredo's colours, too". [ [http://www.comicsbulletin.com/reviews/121916048528802.htm "True Believers" #2] , Comics Bulletin] The online comic book reviewer for Scifipulse.net, Nicholas Yanes, is equally positive, writing that "this is a title that everyone should have on their pull list." [ [http://scifipulse.net/?p=1298 This Week In Spandex, August 26, 2008] , Scifipulse, August 26, 2008]

Notes

References

*gcdb series|id=31462|title="True Believers"
*comicbookdb|type=creator|id=19662|title="True Believers"