Comic of the Week: “Captain Planet and the Planeteers” #1

“Earth!” “Fire!” “Wind!” “Water!” “Heart!” “Go, Planet!” “By your powers combined, I am Captain Planet!”

Nearly anyone who grew up in the 90s remembers that intro, as the Planeteers combined their powers to summon Captain Planet (a hero who’s going to take pollution down to zero). Well, it’s been about 30 years, give or take, but Captain Planet is back in comic book form.

So without further ado, welcome back to G33k-HQ’s Comic of the Week, where each week (give or take, it’s been a few since the last one) we look at a recently released comic that deserves attention. This week, we’re looking at Dynamite’s revival of “Captain Planet and the Planeteers,” written by David Pepose, illustrated by Eman Casallos, and colored by Jorge Sutil.

Also, consider this a spoiler warning, because we will get into some details.

The new “Captain Planet” comic isn’t a continuation of the classic cartoon — it’s a modern reboot with a new continuity and updated versions of the classic characters. We’ve seen this before in comics, and when it’s handled right, it can create some great stories (most notably when Boom! Studios brought back the Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers in comic form). This also means it’s targeted less at today’s children and more at readers who remember the cartoon from their childhoods, so the story elements and characters alike are aged up to match.

For instance, the story begins with Gaia being chased down and shot at by soldiers working for Lucian Plunder (a modern update of Looten Plunder). Gaia is no longer the ancient spirit of the Earth, but rather its High Priestess, who wields the rings.

As for Captain Planet himself? For starters, he has a beard now, and it actually suits him pretty nicely. But we quickly learn that the core, heroic elements of Captain Planet remain, including how he values life and defends people being threatened by, well, “bad guys who like to loot and plunder.”

Since this is the first issue, it’s mostly spent setting up the plot and introducing the characters; the real heroics will naturally have to wait until the team is assembled and learns how to use their powers, but we still get to see them in action. The Planeteers have also been updated, making them slightly older than their cartoon counterparts while giving them developed backstories and personalities.

For instance, when we meet Linka, she’s performing in an underground rock band in Russia, rebelling against the system while risking imprisonment or worse. Gi, similarly, is a scientist working on a research ship out at sea in South Korea (oh, and it would appear that she’s a lesbian, which is a nice bit of added representation). As for Ma-Ti, whose power of “heart” was often mocked by the internet? He uses his ring to lead an army of animals to drive off colonizers mining for lithium.

Each character gets an introduction showing who they are, what drives them, and what makes them worthy of their powers. It’s a solid intro, both for those who remember the cartoon and want to see what the new versions of the characters are like as well as for anyone new to “Captain Planet.” With them established, the characters are given their call to action, so we can look forward to seeing what comes next. As far as first issues go, it’s a good way to kick things off.

Now let’s talk about art. Eman Casallos illustrated the comic, with Jorge Sutil providing the colors. Casallos’ art style is a modern comic book style, leaning more toward the realistic side than the cartoonish. This relies on detailed backgrounds and character designs, along with dynamic panels that add intensity to the moment and carry the reader’s eyes from scene to scene.

The characters are given updated designs to match the style and their new backstories. Captain Planet, for instance, is depicted in a suit and detail that wouldn’t look out of place in the pages of any DC comic book. His design is given some changes from the cartoon version, including the aforementioned beard and making red the primary color of his outfit with light blue accents (rather than the other way around). He’s also given some touches that make him feel more like an embodiment of the planet, including roots and stone growing out from his chest logo, lightning surrounding him when he uses his power and hair like green fire. All this stays true to the cartoon’s design while providing visually impressive updates.

Everyone else is given new outfits to match their jobs and personalities while maintaining key elements of their original designs. Will they eventually get matching Planeteer t-shirts? I can’t say, but the new designs are excellent all around. (Although I’ll be the first to admit: Wheeler does look like Guy Gardner. That’s not a problem, it’s just an observation.)

Cassallos does a fantastic job illustrating each scene, giving us dynamic action and poses that keep readers engrossed. The panel placement and spacing draw the reader’s eyes from moment to moment, using the sizing to manage the pacing, flow, and importance of each moment. It helps with the modernization of “Captain Planet,” feeling less like a reboot of an old cartoon and more like a modern comic book (which it is).

This is made all the better by Jorge Sutil’s colors. Sutil uses a nice blend of bright colors against darker backgrounds, making the characters an action pop. It’s a vibrant comic that matches the modern style while still maintaining the color scheme of the cartoon and making each page nice to the eyes. This is especially evident when each of the Planeteers gets or uses their rings, as the color schemes for those scenes focus on colors matching their rings without being overwhelmed by them.

These color schemes, like the individual powers, come together nicely when the characters get their call to action. They’re also contrasted nicely by the grays and sickly green of Lucian Plunder and his base, creating a good visual juxtaposition.

“Captain Planet and the Planeteers” #1 isn’t just banking on nostalgia. It’s a modernized update of a classic cartoon that starts off firing on all cylinders and draws in both old fans and new readers alike, bringing us new versions of familiar characters that match today’s world while maintaining the core elements of their classic versions.

In today’s world, Captain Planet may be the hero we need. Now’s the perfect time to bring back Earth’s greatest champion, so what else can I say except… GO, PLANET!