Review: The Movement Volume 1 - Class Warfare

After a pair of dirty cops are caught harassing an underage girl, an underground group known as the Movement kidnap them in order to hold them responsible for their actions. Simultaneously, a deranged murderer has been preying on the homeless of Coral City and is threatening the very people the Movement has sworn to protect. To curb corruption and stop the serial killer, the Movement must team up with one of the only good cops in the city and a powerful weather witch.

The Movement Volume 1: Class Warfare collects The Movement #1-6, written by Gail Simone and illustrated by Freddie Williams II.

As one of the more original concepts introduced in DC Comics’ New 52, The Movement promised to be a book that focused on the lives of those on the fringes of society. Much like the X-Men or even Doom Patrol, this ragtag group of heroes is diverse and quite unique in their overall formation. As I’ve previously commented, Gail Simone frequently does a bang-up job of creating new characters and utilizing obscure ones. The cast here is no exception. Our protagonists are memorable and easy to relate to, which works great considering none of them have the benefit of having built-in fanbases. Virtue, Tremor and former Batgirl antagonist Katharsis are standouts. They’re layered and incredibly flawed, which makes them seem that much more realistic. Katharsis in particular steals the show due to her compelling backstory and aggressive stance on the punishment of the guilty.

The Movement is very modern. At a time when Millennials are finding it hard to land full-time employment and where social media has changed the landscape of how we interact with one another, this title speaks to the world we live in today. We have authorities that take advantage of younger generations, disenfranchised youths looking for an outlet to express themselves, and a distinct imbalance in the power structure between the haves and have nots. Simone grabs onto all of these narratives and themes, weaving them together to pose a lot of important questions regarding today’s society. It’s smart and it’s funny, but also poignant and relatable. The Movement also knows how to deftly handle these themes without being too heavy-handed, which is great. The book never preaches or talks down to its readers.

Simone’s partner-in-crime, Freddie Williams II, provides some pretty colourful art for this collection. Generally speaking, it’s expressive and suits the tone of the book. There’s something very youthful about his work, which matches the characters perfectly. Unfortunately, Williams II’s art is also rough and has a tendency to look unfinished. This gives The Movement an inconsistent quality that is less than impressive. This is made all the more obvious due to its gorgeous covers by Amanda Conner.

Despite being compared to the Teen Titans and the X-Men, The Movement seems more like DC’s answer to Runaways. It’s young, fresh and speaks to what is going on in the world today. Tonally, it skews younger. This means it’s likely to be appreciated most by Millennials. Older audiences will surely find it difficult to relate to and invest in the main cast, which could account for some of The Movement’s mixed reviews or its abbreviated run. Nevertheless, Class Warfare is a great jumping off point and further solidifies my opinion of Gail Simone as a stellar character creator.

RATING: B+