Image Comics 2018
Written by Rick Remender
Illustrated by Bengal
Lettered by Rus Wooton
But Glory had a plan. She knew her ex-husband Toby fell in with some illegal drug runners. If she knocked off one of their cash handoffs, she’d have money to pay for Red’s surgery and then some. But Glory’s luck ran out. The heist went sour, she got shot by the corrupt town sheriff, and she fled in a stolen truck full of the smuggled “product.” Which turned out to be not drugs, but people…
So Glory is basically back where she started only now those two cops saw her face and know who she is. Though I have to admit seeing what she does with the people who in that truck tugged at my heartstrings a bit. I found it even more interesting that one decided to stay behind and suddenly he’s all over Glory like white on rice. While Glory is still out for the money Pablo is there to find his sister and her family. So while the excuses may be at odds with one another they do form what can be considered the unlikeliest of alliances.
Rick is one of those writers whose mind is impossible to understand or predict and that quite honestly is why I love reading his books. I mean after Fear Agent, Last Days of American Crime and Tokyo Ghost there isn’t a single book by him that’s outside the “Big 2” that I won’t read. The way he structures the story is simply amazing and the characterisation here is spectacular in the way that we see Glory and Pablo interacting with one another. Their conversations have this hurried annoyance to them that seems to make the pacing go quicker, though that might be an illusion still it’s rather effective to the storytelling.
When we hit an interlude I have no idea what is going on but I will say this much it seems like an underground organ harvesting ring. Instead of the urban legend that tells of men picking up women and waking up in a tub of ice we get kidnapping of illegals who are then used for their organs and people pay a high price for them. I may be reading the whole thing wrong however time will tell or more accurately Rick will. Either way that I am trying to find a scenario that makes the scene fit is a testament to the way this is being told. I mean I have been sucked in by the appearance of people, characters and yes the villains here and not fully understanding their connection so naturally I am trying to create one. This means I am going to keep coming back and that’s the ultimate goal.
The interiors here are marvellous and what Bengal is capable of doing is stunning. Let’s hear for the boy I mean anyone who can do it all and keep on schedule is not extremely talented but one to be admired. I love the way he’s able to manipulate the linework here through it’s varying weights and that shower scene is a complete example of why his work stand out. From subtle things like hair all over the body that’s lightly done to the boldness in the women we see and the use of a backgrounds gives us the perfect snapshot why I am a fan. His utilisation of the page layouts is eerily good and the way we see the angles and perspective shows off a very seasoned and talented eye for storytelling.
The more we see and the more we learn the more we want to know. Plus just because we are learning things doesn’t anything is being answered for us either. It is just increasing the mystery as the players in this major drama go about their business and daily lives to get ahead. With a superb plot, amazing story development and inspired interior artwork this just goes to show you don’t need powers to have a powerful story.