Story: Jay Faerber
Art: Simone Guglielmini
The Solicitation
This issue's a great jumping-on point as Markham embarks on his first case in his new town - protecting the outgoing Los Angeles District Attorney, whose many enemies are coming after him now that he no longer has police protection.
Preview
The Story
We get the great blurb at the beginning of the issue that lays down everything that a first time reader like myself would need to know: "Markham was a professional killer who had a near death experience during a botched mission. Determined to avoid ever returning to the Hell he glimpsed, Markham dedicated himself to balancing the scales. He's going to save a life for every life he's taken. And he's taken a lot of lives..."
This comic could go a couple of different ways with that premise. They could make the main character learn to become a doctor, but that wouldn't be interesting. They could make him a vigilante, but that wouldn't make it too different from other comics. Bodyguard for hire? Check and mate, sorta.
So he gets fired by some Hollywood actress who obviously needed someone guarding her to begin with. Then the former LA District Attorney hires him where our main guy Markham saves him on a daily basis (does this count towards his total if he is saving the same person over and over again?)
Eventually the story will do a twist that I won't spoil here to save the ending of the comic. It is a nice "Welcome to LA" kind of story for our would be redemption seeking protagonist.
The story didn't really do it for me. Too simplistic, maybe? I just didn't feel any type of connection with any of the characters, nor am I tied up into the story. I also felt the same way when I read one of Faerber's other works, Dynamo 5. Just felt like something was missing, but I couldn't place my finger on it.
Its funny, this comic is billed as being made up mostly of stand alone issues. So is the blurb on the cover that this is the start of an all new story arc kind of a lame tactic to get new readers?
The Art
The art is decent. What it could use is more dark tones with the inking. The style reminds me of belonging to some artist who drew for Gotham Central, a DC book about the police department in Gotham City that had a realistic tone and dark mood to it.
The Cover
I liked the two toned look of it. Now carry that color work over to the interiors and then I think this book has a look for it.
Grades
Words: 6/10 - felt like it was going through the motions.
Pictures: 7/10 - I liked it, it just needs some ink work or the coloring work from the cover to go to the interiors.
Recommend: Not as a first issue for a new reader. While the blurb on the first interior page gives me everything I want to know about the main character, I just don't feel connected to him nor do I feel any sense of caring about where the story goes from here.
Buy Next Issue: I'll pass, but I do think that the creators on this book could do better with other types of stories to tell.
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