Mr. Terrific Year One #1

Written by Al Letson. Art by Valentine De Landro. Cover by Valentine De Landro
(May 2025, DC Comics)

Synopsis

Brilliant young inventor Michael Holt’s life was destined for greatness…yet everything screeched to a halt when his wife Paula and unborn son were killed in a car accident. The Holts once shared ambitious dreams of using their technology to help others, but after the tragedy, Michael retreats from society and sells Holt Industries to mysterious and craven tech billionaire Athena Prescott. The domino effect of Michael’s actions set off an explosive chain of events that take a not-so-ordinary man from the depths of despair to the heights of heroism! Meanwhile, in the present day, Mr. Terrific continues his research into what became of Darkseid after the events of the DC All-In Special…and comes to realize that his past and the present might be inextricably linked…

90’s Throwback

Reading Mr. Terrific issue 1 sparked a feeling of 90s déjà vu. I’m not sure if it was Valentine De Landro’s art, which feels like an illustrative homage to John Paul Leon of Milestone fame (Static, Earth X), or Al Letson’s story, echoing the origin of Curtis Metcalf, aka Hardware.
With these inspirations in tow, Letson delivers a compelling re-imagining of today’s Mr. Terrific, breathing life into a character often portrayed as stoic and emotionally detached.

The People’s Champ

Many fans know our hero’s journey begins with the Spectre encountering Michael Holt in his grief over the death of his wife Paula. The Spectre then imbues Holt with purpose and invites him to take on the mantle of Mr. Terrific and his “Fair Play” mantra. Letson’s retelling suggests Holt’s inspirations are more nuanced. The most convincing example being the introduction of Athena Prescott, the head of a nefarious corporation using Holt’s technology to poison Gateway City’s residents. As I mentioned, this strongly recalls Hardware’s struggles with Alva, another corporation misusing the work of a genius-level Black protégé.

While the setup of a powerful corporation exploiting a brilliant protagonist’s work might tread familiar ground for some superhero readers – a trope some might even consider a rookie mistake – Letson executes this foundational element with such compelling character work and intriguing plot threads that I’m more than willing to give it a pass. For example, his portrayal of Holt as something of a “slob,” complete with bumbling technology, effectively roughens the edges of a character normally presented as impeccably smooth.

This, coupled with a stunning cliffhanger I won’t spoil, suggests Holt’s motivations extend beyond a mere pursuit of knowledge or proving he’s the “3rd smartest person on the planet.” Letson seems to imply that Mr. Terrific may aspire to be a champion of “the people,” or at least that’s the direction the narrative hints at.

More than Superheroics

This comic isn’t an action-packed spectacle. You don’t hire Valentine De Landro to depict simple brawls, but to layout elaborate, familial conversations and designing cool, convincing technology like the T-Sphere prototypes and Holt’s Knight Rider-esque muscle car, Etta.

With these elements in mind, fans of character-driven narratives, nuanced explorations of heroism, and evocative artwork will likely find Mr. Terrific issue 1 a compelling and promising start to this new take on the character. Letson and De Landro have crafted an issue that hints at a deeper, more socially conscious direction for Mr. Terrific, making it a noteworthy read for those seeking more than just superheroics.

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