When comic book supervillains, mad scientists, and murderous nuclear families attack, it's up to Quantum & Woody to save the world. And starting this January, the symbiotic superhero team is back in action in a brand new series as part of Valiant's new 2020 lineup.
The new series comes from writer Christopher Hastings (Unbelievable Gwenpool) and artist Ryan Browne (Curse Words), promised to be a side-splitting superhero adventure. So far the creative team is teasing serial kidnappers, a longtime brain-monster foe, and in the newest preview pages, even an assassination attempt in Washington, D.C.. As if that weren't enough, this relaunch brings with it a brand new, more mysterious than ever superpower for Woody. But these strange new gifts of prophecy are far from sorted in our preview of Quantum & Woody #1, which means getting the inside scoop from Hastings and Brown is more than welcome.
Screen Rant has an exclusive look at the the finished pages pulled from Quantum and Woody #1, and it won't take long for fans of the titular heroes to see the core of their identities are completely intact. Check out the preview pages along with new insights from the creative teambelow.
The tone and comedy is no surprise, since Hastings' sense of humor (on full display in his run on Marvel's Unbelievable Gwenpool) has been cited as a key factor in him landing this assignment. Years of affection for Eric and Woody don't hurt either, nor does an artist like Ryan Browne who is up to the job of bringing truly ludicrous comedy (Quantum's workout routine being a prime example) to life in ways to keep readers guessing. And if it wasn't clear already: yes, this book is absolutely supposed to be read between chuckles:
Christopher Hastings: I've been a fan of Quantum and Woody since I was a teenager in the 90s, and getting to contribute to that modern myth of the screwup superhero brothers is a dream. I've also been a fan of Ryan Browne's for quite some time, and maybe even jealous of him? Okay yes, definitely jealous of him. But now I don't have to be! Because we are working on the same thing.
Ryan Browne: Chris has been doing what I do for longer and better so it's my main goal to steal all his secrets. So far so good! I also really really REALLY like dense stories with a million jokes per minute and these scripts deliver in that department.
Comedy won't be the only defining feature of the series, since a hero like Quantum demands a healthy portion of action, as well. But the lighter tone and entertaining action shouldn't distract from another major reason why the duo have resonated with so many Valiant readers over the years. Sibling heroes are harder to come by in comics than one might think, and when it comes to brothers sharing a calling to become superheroes... well, Quantum and Woody are absolutely charting their own, one of a kind course, and that won't be changing anytime soon:
CH: Personally, I appreciate something in my comics stack that gives me a bit of comedic relief from the never ending melodrama of the rest of the superhero world. I also like a comic that takes the "rules" of a superhero story and flips them on their ear. I say comics should be fun, and Quantum and Woody are FUN. I also think their dynamic is really beautifully designed that it can be treated seriously, or it can be played for laughs just as easily. Two orphaned brothers that can't stand each other, bound together with superpowers they barely know how to use? That can be dramatic, stressful, painful, but it can also be (and usually is) hilarious without undermining any of the more grounded elements.
RB: Quantum and Woody works because of the family aspect to our two goofs. The heart behind the story really makes the comedy sing -- if Woody was only a jerk monster the audience wouldn't be invested in his well-being. There's a sweetness in their hatred of each other that makes you keep reading.
As established and beloved as both Eric and Woody Henderson may be for existing fans of Valiant, the new book is also an opportunity to bring new readers into the series. And while the creators have confirmed the new series will be continuing the duo's storyline from previous runs, they're making a direct effort to welcome new readers (a move visible across several of Valiant's newest books). Hastings admits it's a slight change of pace from the usual comic writing, since the emphasis is being placed on delivering a satisfying single issue that lives up to its price tag. In other words, it's wise for new and existing fans to count on the new Quantum & Woody series to be all killer, no filler:
CH: We're treating the story arc(s) a little bit differently than how I've written a comic series before. There is a focus on each issue being a self contained episode, so they are fun and satisfying reads individually, with enough of a through-line to enjoy the series as a whole as well. I love a great single issue comic that doesn't necessarily have to be part 1 of 10, and there are so many different angles of Quantum and Woody's life I wanted to explore, shorter stories within a longer arc was very attractive to me. These are PACKED comics.
Besides that, we're bringing in some interesting new character dynamics for the duo too. There's the hyper-competent superhero mentor, THE APPREHENSION. There's a supervillain family that represents the complete opposite of Quantum and Woody's broken brotherly relationship. And the boys discover new abilities hidden in their power bands!
RB: Chris has written hilarious and super tight scripts. No filler in these issues! 100% pure goof greatness! I try to visualize them as faithfully as I can while adding my own details and goofs to push them to AT LEAST 101% pure goof greatness.
The full issue will be launching the new series on January 29th, 2020. But for now, the first preview of Quantum and Woody #1 wastes little time in tossing readers into their current adventure. Thankfully, Hastings and Browne have offered a bit of an explanation for what readers can see in the preview, and how it will be bridging their previous status quo with the new story. And rats. So many rats, you guys:
CH: The previous Quantum and Woody series left off with the boys on the run from the government, and that seemed a fine place to set the status quo for our book moving forward. So we see them in some squatter's apartment, not sure what to do next, when Woody presents his brand new superpower. Woody's manifesting some new "oracle" like ability that gives him visions of the future, but he can only communicate these visions so cryptically they might as well be useless.
We also meet the cheery Kammerjäger family of supervillains who are about to execute a mass assassination scheme at the US Capitol building. And if Quantum and Woody can decipher Woody's visions in time, stopping that scheme could be an excellent way to get off the most wanted list.
RB: Yeah, what Chris said! My biggest idea contribution to these first pages was that Quantum would accidentally attract the attention of any animals around him. Vincent loves him! As do the rats on the pages that follow… That's right, folks, you've got rats to look forward to! And fatbergs. It'll all not make sense soon enough in the pages of Quantum and Woody and Vincent and Fatbergs.
Quantum & Woody #1 will arrive in your local comic book shop on January 29th, 2020. Read on below for the full credits and solicitations details.
- QUANTUM & WOODY #1
- Release Date: January 29th, 2020
- Written by: Christopher Hastings
- Art by: Ryan Browne
- Cover Art by: David Nakayama
- Quantum & Woody -- the worst superhero duo in the world -- are Earth's LAST hope against stopping a coalition of mad scientists from destroying the planet!