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It's hard to believe that I first read Air about 11 years ago--almost as amazing as realizing I've writing about comics in some form or another going back even further.
While many discovered Wilson during her amazing run on Ms. Marvel, this was my first experience with her as a comics creator. Ironically, I read it while sitting in an airport, which given the premise, was a rather ironic thing to do.
What is that premise, you ask? Dark Horse will tell you:
Acrophobic flight attendant Blythe has just fallen for a mysterious traveler-- who may or may not be a terrorist-- and she's about to embark on the strangest journey of her life. Searching for him, Blythe will crash-land into a web of technological conspiracies, dark politics and cryptic orders. When she learns that she is the only person able to control flight and reality, with science so advanced it might be magic, she'll have to break the rules of time and space for answers.
Now what they *aren't* telling you is that part of that advanced science magic is Aztec in nature, leading me to once again do a slight spoiler here: This series focuses around the concept of Aztec-themed Steampunk.
It shouldn't take much to convince you that an awesome writer like Wilson, working with the concept of conspiracies, space-time, and, again Aztec Steampunk, is something you should try reading. Heck, I'll even link you to what I had to say about it back in 2010. I rarely do that, because I hate looking back at my old work, but I think a lot of what I had to say, both positive and negative, holds true. At the time, I loved the concept, but did find Blythe a little bland as a focus character. I also thought Perker's art could have used more oomph, but the style used in Air is really common today. I've changed my perspective on that over time, though I'll always prefer more movement in my visuals. Overall, however, I really, really liked Air.
I'm not the only one happy to see this back in print, obviously. Original editor Karen Berger, working for Dark Horse now, had this to say in the promo material:
“Air stole my heart when I first published the series at Vertigo,” said Karen Berger. “It’s a one-of-a-kind illuminating and exhilarating story about an unconventional heroine and an unforgettable cast of characters including an alive and soaring Amelia Earhart. It showcases the exceedingly talented G. Willow Wilson very early in her formidable career with sensational art by M.K. Perker. I’m thrilled to re-present one of my all-time faves!”
I'm also super-excited to see this back in print and to get a chance to revisit it again when it comes out in its new versions. You can pick up Air at your local comic shop or favorite digital device on September 14, 2022.
