Let’s face it – Michael Holt doesn’t get enough credit.
In a DC landscape dominated by Batmen, Kryptonians and speedsters, Mr. Great was often pushed into the background: brilliant, stoic, capable… and unfortunately underestimated. But with Mr. Terrific: Year One #1writer Al Letsonartist Edwin Galmon And Valentine De Landroand colorist Marissa LouiseBring Holt back into focus – and this time it’s personal.
This isn’t just a superhero origin story. It’s a slow burn about loss, trauma, and the hard, messy road to healing when your mind works faster than your heart can keep up.
The smartest man in the room – emotionally exaggerated
This edition tells you on the first page: This is not will consist only of gimmicks, jokes and scientific reenactments. We begin with the devastating loss of Michael Holt’s wife Paula and their unborn child. It’s an emotional punch in the gut, made all the more painful because Holt isn’t a man who screams or smashes things. He divides. He turns. He isolates himself in spreadsheets, fitness exercises and quantum equations.
Letson’s writing shows a deep empathy for Holt’s emotional terrain. His dialogue is precise yet thoughtful, often quiet but full of meaning. Holt doesn’t monologue – he does mournsand he does it the only way he knows how: by trying to outwit the pain.
And that’s exactly what makes this problem a success. Holt’s journey is deeply internal. Be “Fair play” The mantra isn’t just a slogan – it’s his desperate quest for justice in a world that gave him none.
A double artistic lens: Galmon and De Landro
The double work of art by Edwin Galmon And Valentine De Landro delivers two aesthetic accents – sometimes dark and sometimes thoughtful, always intentional.
Galmon’s clean lines and grounded realism perfectly capture the raw, human emotions in Holt’s private moments. Meanwhile, De Landro brings grit and texture to the world Holt navigates, making the environment feel as oppressive and emotionally charged as his inner world.
Marissa Louise Colors connect everything. The palette moves between cool, sad hues and sudden sparks of energy – signaling emotional transitions without disrupting the tone. When Paula appears in flashbacks or as a projection, the warmth of the colors becomes almost nostalgic, even sacred. Louise and the artists make Holt’s world feel heavy but alive.
Even those covercreated by Marissa Louise and Valentine De Landrooffers a sonorous start: urgent, heroic and celebratory at the same time.
Representation that doesn’t preach – it lives
Let’s talk about the big thing: Black representation.
There are no checkboxes checked in this book. It breathes representation.
Holt isn’t forced to prove his genius – he lives it. His grief is justified, not minimized. His trauma isn’t portrayed as a weakness – it’s portrayed as such humanity. He is a black man who is allowed to be gentle, brilliant, broken and slowly rebuilt.
Letson doesn’t describe Holt as a “black version of Batman.” He describes him as someone who exists at the intersection of extraordinary intellect and emotional fragility, with a cultural resonance that goes beyond mere tokenism. This is not “diversity for diversity’s sake.” That is honest, informed storytelling.
Memory, trauma and time loops
This isn’t just a repeat of original tropes. Letson’s narrative structure is bold – non-linear and multi-layered. The story moves between Holt’s childhood, his early love and his present-day despair. This makes the issue feel like you’re reading from Holt’s head: disjointed, repetitive, searching.
But it never gets confusing. In fact, it makes the narrative more compelling. It’s less about, “How did Mr. Terrific get his T-balls?” and more “Why did Holt need her?”
There’s a moment where Holt has a conversation with a hologram of Paula – created using his own technology. It’s disturbing and tender. This is a man trying to reverse the irreversible, not just with science but with mournful obsession.
A slower burn – but a richer flame
If you’re looking for costumes and capes on the first few pages, you’ll be waiting. This theme is mostly quiet – internal monologues, flashbacks and quiet sadness.
And that makes it special.
This is a narrated origin story after the loss, not before the costume. Holt doesn’t need to be bitten by anything radioactive. His call to action is a hospital hallway, a funeral, a cold bed. It is real.
Final Verdict: Mr. Terrific, finally given his due
With Mr. Terrific: Year One #1Letson, Galmon, De Landro and Louise have written a powerful opening chapter to one of the most emotionally intelligent books of the year.
It’s not just a win for black superhero stories. It’s a victory for superheroes literature.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½ (4.5 out of 5 stars)
Smart, soulful and beautifully drawn – this is Mr. Terrific like you’ve never seen him before.
What do you think of Holt’s quiet strength in this issue? Have you been waiting to delve deeper into the story of Mr. Terrific? Hear it in the comments or reach out to us on social media. And stay tuned to WorldofBlackHeroes.com to learn more about the rise of Black-dominated comics in the mainstream.
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