Image Comics 2013
Written by Joe Casey
Illustrated by Piotr Kowalski
Coloured by Brad Simpson
Lettered by Rus Wooton
It’s been awhile since I’ve visited this series for review purposes and Joe has one of these books that is perfect for don’t the old adage don’t judge a book by it’s cover. Sure the title is Sex and yes we see plenty of that within it’s pages but there is so much more going on here than just that. There’s this complex and fascinating story happening which just happens to center around a former hero whose sexually repressed.
Simon’s story of reintegration to his normal life hasn’t been easy and with Warren, his best friend and lawyer by his side it’s definitely been interesting. But what really surprised me about this book is the fact that he have retired from wearing a costume and protecting the world his city has need of him running his company and saving the city he lives in in a whole different kind of way. He can be more influential and effective as a businessman cleaning up the city than he ever dreamed possible.
As some threats, gangs, mobsters are removed from the playing field new ones rise to take their place thinking they are going to fill some void keeps things moving in this city keeping the intrigue rotating nicely. I love that this place is never boring that new threats and old keep resurfacing in such fantastic ways. There’s also something inherently creepy about this whole situation with the Japanese and the Widow Yoshiko-Sama coming to town to further negotiations proving that sometimes what happens in the boardroom is much more dangerous than what happens on the streets.
I’ve been a big fan of Piotr’s for awhile now and his work on this series really is something incredibly special. With his eye for detail and his being unafraid of drawing the nude male and female form in various states he really has pushed the envelope with this series. I’ve loved watching him refine his skills and watch his art flourish and see what amazing things his imagination can bring to the page. Whether it’s just plain human emotion or it’s something of an erotic nature it doesn’t matter he just brings it. Page layouts and backgrounds it all works to showcase what needs to be seen by the reader to be fully enveloped in the story.
I have to admit too that all the personal drama we get from all the different characters involved really helps to flesh out this series and continue to make it something more than you’d ever expect. I’ll be honest when this first his shelves i did think it would pretty much be about what the title suggested but i’m happy that it’s so much more and has plenty of the sex to boot. It’s also one of those rare books not afraid to show a full frontal male, hard or soft, as well the women in all different shall we say positions and accoutrements.
This series never fails to surprise and entertain. With it’s writing and characterization and finely detailed interior artwork this remains a favorite guilty pleasure of mine.