Eye on Comics

Birds of Prey #109 (DC Comics)
by Tony Bedard, Nicola Scott & Doug Hazlewood

The post-Gail Simone era for Birds of Prey begins, and writer Tony Bedard demonstrates he has a strong grip on the characters. The cover proclaims the central plotline to be Barbara and Dinah’s discussion of the latter’s possible nuptials, and while it’s nice to see such a conversational, slice-of-life notion at the forefront of a super-hero book, it really doesn’t ring true. Generally, people don’t flat out tell their friends that the loves of their lives are pigs. They may think it, but they don’t say it. Unfortunately, the real point of this issue seems to be addressing continuity points. Through Oracle, Bedard addresses the ugly history of the Black Canary/Green Arrow relationship, but only those up on those past stories will really appreciate the transgressions being discussed. Furthermore, Bedard deals with the apparent dissolution of Simone’s Secret Six (I assume, thanks to Deadshot’s renewed involvement with the Suicide Squad, as seen in Countdown). On top of that, the storyline that really drives this issue forward is the ongoing “Death of the New Gods” concept, launched in Countdown as well. With Knockout and Big Barda associated with this title, I suppose Birds of Prey was a logical venue for a tie-in, but it just doesn’t fit with the espionage riff that’s part and parcel of this property. Inexplicably, there’s no overt cue that this is a Countdown crossover issue or that it would be of interest to fans of the late Jack Kirby’s Fourth World characters. Nicola Scott’s art is straightforward; she’s offers standard super-hero visuals here. But the storytelling is solid, and she manages to convey the strength of the more experienced heroines and the innocence of the younger characters. 5/10 

Killing Girl #1 (Image Comics)
by Glen Brunswick & Frank Espinosa

Glen Brunswick’s name may not be familiar to many fans of the medium, but he’s no stranger to the world of crime comics. He co-created an Image title called The Gray Area with none other than John Romita Jr. a couple of years back, and now he’s back, partnered with another talented artist. Brunswick’s gritty, harsh plot and script is reminiscent of the sort of fare one might find in a Sin City comic book, though his characters are a bit more verbose than Frank Miller’s. The script humanizes the title character, a mob assassin codenamed Viper, but her actions and cold approach to her work also set her apart. She’s chillingly effective at her nasty job, so the character both attracts and repels the audience at the same time. The premise is a familiar one, but Brunswick pulls it off fairly well… save for one aspect. The turning point in Viper’s story comes in the form of a coincidence that’s far too implausible for the reader to accept. The notion that she’s sent to the same small town in which she was abducted as a child for an assignment that just happens to involve an FBI agent who’s engaged to someone in her life is just too big a pill to swallow. As anyone who’s read Rocketo can attest, Frank Espinosa’s cartooning is attractive and unusual, but it’s a poor fit for this hard-boiled crime drama. He employs a brightly colored palette to bring ugly, dark events to life, and the surreal effect is confusing and off-putting rather than intriguing. The more cartoony look of his male figures, reminiscent of Dick Tracy characters, conflicts with the intensity and darkness of the plot. It’s not that Espinosa performs poorly on this title. His craft is strong; it’s just a poor fit for the material. I applaud him for trying to diversify his portfolio and appeal, but it’s an experiment that fails, unfortunately. 4/10

The Order #2 (Marvel Comics)
by Matt Fraction, Barry Kitson & Mark Morales

With this second issue, writer Matt Fraction transforms The Order from a super-hero team title that showed some promise into an impressive, compelling action series built on a foundation of strong characterization and biting social commentary. The focus for this issue is on Aralune, AKA Becky Ryan, a teen starlet turned super-heroine. The opening two-page sequence — which tells the reader just about everything s/he needs to know about the character — also signals that while this is a super-hero title, it’s also a smart story that challenges the reader. Those two pages stand out as some of the best writing I’ve seen in a super-hero book this year. The public-relations elements and on-the-fly combat strategy make for interesting storytelling, but it’s Becky’s story, which bookends the issue, that draws the reader in the most. Becky is an amalgam of such real-world personalities as Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton, but she’s not really a parody of any of them. She’s a symbol of America’s insatiable appetite for the corruption of innocence, but Fraction’s script makes her breathe as an individual as well. The military style of the super-hero operations rings true, and the Cold War flashback in the form of the villains was campy and chilling all at once. Kitson’s artwork boasts a smooth, slick look here, and that’s fitting, given the prominent role that media culture plays in this story. I love the contrast between the big, clunky Silver Age designs of the villains and the sleek uniforms of the Order as well. The color palette is occasionally bright, but there’s a darkness that permeates the panels in key scenes, reinforcing the more mature nature of the storytelling overall. 9/10

Speak of the Devil #1 (Dark Horse Comics)
by Gilbert Hernandez

I’ve read some Love and Rockets in my time, and while I was never drawn into the unconventional slice-of-life comic, I do see the appeal of the work of Los Bros Hernandez. I’ve read some of the L&R spinoff material, such as Birdland, and I’ve enjoyed that. I can only assume Speak of the Devil is another spinoff, tangentially linked to the world of L&R. Gilbert Hernandez’s story of a young wife adjusting to family life and her teenage stepdaughter adjusting to the new dynamic is definitely unusual but nevertheless grounded and relatable. Linda, Walter’s new wife, is clearly a sexual being. Her identity is wrapped up in her sexuality; even her job has a sexual component. It’s interesting to see her go from frightened by a Peeping Tom to stimulated by the prospect of being watched. Val, her teenage stepdaughter, is a much more complex and interesting character. Whereas her stepmother seems to know who she is, Val is still in the process of determining her sexual identity. She has a rebellious streak and puts on a tough facade for her friends, but she’s living a secret life, watching others from the shadows. It’s as though she’s looking for clues about her own persona by observing those of others’. The creator’s script is quietly challenging, somewhat titillating and ultimately engaging and intriguing. Hernandez employs his usually simple style that’s nevertheless effective at capturing a realistic feel. Despite the exaggeration of Linda’s physical traits, the artist clearly has a strong eye for anatomy. His minimalist backgrounds add a slightly surreal, eerie edge to the story that’s appropriate, given one character’s surreptitious actions. 7/10