Dynamite Entertainment 2016
Written by James Robinson
Illustrated by Tom Feister
Coloured by David Curiel
Lettered by Simon Bowland
Last issue Steve and Mabel robbed a bank and Steve shot a deputy. Mac killed Steve but when and Mabel locked eyes it was love at first sight.
Well while I was expecting to get an interesting second issue after the events of the first one I hadn’t anticipated on James taking this to a whole other level. Though if I had been paying attention it wouldn’t have have been as surprised as I was as I read this issue. James is a very strong and talented writer and you have to come into his stories with an open mind and look for things that may seem odd or normal that could have a possible spin.
The overly sexualised opening was a bit much but hey who am I to judge and it does show how the thrill of robbing banks has this affect on Mabel. I do like the interjection however during her musings of seeing Mac’s eyes and knowing that there’s a spark there.
The whole structuring of this story is being spectacularly done. I mean we’re getting a look at two different characters going through different things and yet are inexplicably connected to one another. I’m also liking the pacing of this story as things are moving along at a great clip with how much is being revealed while leaving more than enough as a mystery. After last issue I was wondering if there were some kind of event that would bring these two together and what kind of problems that would inherently bring.
This issue takes that question I had and pretty much answers it in a way that blew me away.
I am a fan of the work Tom and David are doing on the interiors here. The use of page layouts through angles, perspective and backgrounds really help with the flow. The faces, facial expressions and body language give us that extra bit of characterisation that the words alone can’t. Plus there are intangibles that they bring that kind of add an extra dimension to things that come from the most unexpected places.
James has been doing a great job in fleshing out all the characters that we are seeing. That each gets this kind of treatment so that we really are getting to know them, what motivates them and what could be construed as their true nature is fantastic. Also that it’s only the second issue and we’re already knee deep in pretty much knowing who’s who well yeah that makes coming back again issue one of things we not only want to do but need to do.
There are moments that seem to change the game and James is bringing us those in style here. Mac and Mabel are going to need each other in ways neither of them could ever have expected and what started out as something of a twisted fairy tale love story has quickly become so much more.