This week BOOM! Studios debuted a brand-new series by Dan Panosian and Alessio Avallone: The Last Boy. You might have already guessed from Panosian’s beautiful cover, but The Last Boy is a new take on the story of Peter Pan. Specifically, this story takes place years after Wendy Darling and her brothers have returned to London, seemingly leaving Neverland behind forever.
Like the original J.M. Barrie novel, Panosian seeks to explore what it means to grow up. The Neverland that we are introduced to here feels older than what we may remember from other Peter Pan stories. Captain Hook, Smee, and the entire Pirate crew have grown old and are even transitioning into simple traders. Tiger Lily has grown up and become Chief of her tribe while also forming trade alliances with the pirates. We are also given a glimpse into Wendy’s life in London, where she is bristling under the disapproving eye of her mother and doing her best to put off her imminent wedding as long as she can.
Even though everything around him has moved on, this Peter has resolutely refused to change along with those around him. In this “new” Neverland, Panosian paints Peter as the antagonist clinging to the comfort of the past. This nostalgic obsession for what he must know has been lost clouds his judgment and leads to tragic misunderstandings in this issue. Panosian and Avallone lead us into a typical scene for a Peter Pan tale, a confrontation with Captain Hook. Only this time, the reader is made uncomfortable as we watch the still youthful Peter batter a group of elderly men. I won’t spoil too much here, but, throughout the issue, we are shown just how poorly Peter fits into the new paradigm of Neverland. This is mirrored in Wendy’s struggles as she desperately wants to emerge from the shackles society seeks to place on her and become an author. Her fight for independence seems just as odd to her parents as Peter’s behavior appears to the denizens of Neverland.
This new take on Peter Pan wouldn’t be as successful without Avallone’s art. There are several panels that are presented without any words, and Avallone’s visual storytelling expertly conveys the story on its own. A standout moment occurs after Peter’s conversation with Tiger Lily. Avallone is able to draw so much emotion from Tiger Lily’s face that we don’t need dialogue or description to know the status of her relationship with Peter. Colorist Valentina Pinto chooses to present London and Neverland in contrasting color palettes, something I very much enjoyed and found an exciting creative choice. While our world is muted and stuck in tan and black, Neverland is a place full of color. Letterer Jeff Eckleberry deftly handles the sound effects of a certain crocodile who makes his appearance later in the issue. The crocodile’s entrance made me instantly think of the movie, Jaws, and John Williams’ iconic score.
I was really impressed with this debut issue that starts right off by subverting the reader’s expectations with a fresh take on the Peter Pan mythos while staying true to the themes of the original novel. I can’t wait to see how far Panosian and Avallone can push Peter until he finally openly admits to the changes that have occurred around him. A fun debut worth adding to your pull list.
Creative Team: Dan Panosian (Writer), Alessio Avallone (Illustrator), Valentina Pinto with assistance from Agnese Pozza and Rik Mack (Colorist), Jeff Eckleberry (Letterer)
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
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