Action Lab Danger Zone 2017
Written by David Pepose
Illustrated by Jorge Santiago, Jr.
Coloured by Jasen Smith
Lettered by Colin Bell
Well it would seem that a piece of the puzzle that is Locke comes to light this issue. There’s also a reason aside from what we’ve seen so far that this is for Mature Readers. I mean this part well that shocked me and in this day and age that’s pretty hard to do. While we don’t see it the whole Calvin and Hobbes moment where it’s implied that it happened is kind of jarring. It certainly is one hell of a way to open up an issue though and set the stage for what is going to happen throughout the rest.
I’m not going to say that event is what made Locke the man he is today but i’m right as rain in thinking it provided a helping hand. As a child his imaginary friend Spencer was there and he couldn’t cope without him into adulthood and it allows him to justify his actions away so there’s this whole pop psychology going on here in my brain that I wasn’t expecting. Also as a survivor of that kind of incident i’m not sure how I feel about it right now. It does provide us with a wonderful look however at his desire to save Hero, Sophie’s kid.
Now aside from what i’m calling the controversial reveal the issue does move along splendidly. I do like the amount of characterisation that we see here and how David manages to control the pace of the story. I like how we see that perhaps while he may be a detective Locke is also a man who’s plagued by the demons of his past and that those demons make him strive to be a force for good so no child would have to suffer.
The interiors here are an absolute delight for me. I love seeing the past and present mixed in such ways that bring the whimsy to the seriousness of it all. The utilisation of the page layouts with their angles and their perspective not to mention the backgrounds are all used to get the flow of the story just right. Plus the sheer amount of emotion that we get off the page which range from childish naivete to pure rage and anger it all has it’s place here.
I find it interesting to see Locke’s anger and determination in these pages. The way he uses Spencer to focus his own mind in order to keep going it’s impressive. Actually there are many things about the way David keeps writing his that is impressive to me. That he can layer the characterisation and the story in such ways and demonstrates his talent and ability when it comes to his craft makes me admire him more.
This is a pretty unexpected and intense series that will take you to the edge of emotions you never knew were coming and couldn’t possibly be prepared for. It’s strongly written and extremely well brought to life. Harsh, real and full of things that shouldn’t see the light of day in ways that do it’s an experience you’ll never be able to wash away and loathe yourself for wanting more.