Oni Press 2015
Written by Greg Rucka
Illustrated by Justin Greenwood
Coloured by Ryan Hill
I love this series and i’m so glad we’re back for another chapter. Greg is such a talented writer and I love they way he writes his characters and how you get involved in their lives is both powerful and subtle in how he does it. Dex, Dexedrine yes that’s her real name, is meeting with a potential client as we open this story. She is being walked through a taste test of some coffee, you’d think okay so what big deal.
Read the issue because not only is the dialogue some of the best around but the explanation of what it is, what it’s worth and why Mr. Weekes wishes to hire her for a job. The setup here is expertly done and the way it’s written draws you in, captures your imagination and attention and it made me laugh and feel good all the while knowing there is going to be so much more here than meets the eye. Dex’s cases tend to be something bigger than than they ever start out as and it’s that kind of luck which she possesses that keeps me coming back for more.
If you haven’t read Stumptown yet don’t worry you don’t need to have in order to enjoy this issue but I would highly recommend you going to your store or online service and order the trades because it’s worth it. The appearance of Fuji, Dex’s sister, and the neighbor Grey and immediately you begin to see that this isn’t going to be a happy family reunion but something to add to the pressures she’s about to experience and the drama is palpable and the anticipation kind of exciting.
Dex goes to her office after her meeting with Mr. Weekes where a man is waiting for her. It seems that there are others interested in obtaining samples of Mr. Weekes coffee and she’s being made an offer to smuggle some to this mystery man, a representative and a voice on a cellphone make for not only an interesting development but it’s very mysterious and somewhat ominous which again makes me a happy camper.
Dex picks up Ansel from work and they head home where Grey and Fuji are waiting and the family plus neighborly reunion are just a bit icy. So there’s more here to be explored and yes adding that into her life with a new job, which she has to leave and do, are going to make things a lot more complicated for her. As if the complications of what happens after she picks up the package she’s hired to do yeah you know it’s gonna get good real fast.
Justin and Ryan do a perfect job in setting the mood, tone and feel of the book as they breathe life into the words. From the coffee test tasting to her family to the attempted hire and the encounter after picking up her package it’s all done with such care. This kind of story couldn’t be told with a better artistic team, plus I love seeing the rain in panels it gives an extra sense of gloom and doom that may or may not be that intentional.
You’ve never met a Private Detective like Dex but she’s definitely one you should get to know!