Top Cow Productions 2018
Written by Matt Hawkins
Illustrated by Raffaele Ienco
Lettered by Troy Peteri
First of all if you haven’t read Postal that’s a shame it’s a great series and worthy of your time so you should be getting the trades. That being said if you haven’t read them read this and you’ll see why I cannot recommend it highly enough and if it does make you want to seek them out my bad. This issue epitomises why I really like this franchise and these characters. The writing here is extremely solid as Matt takes us through a well structured book.
For a single issue, a one-shot, of regular book length it sure does hold a lot of incredible story as well as intense, and I do mean intense characterisation. My goodness this is the kind of one-shot that should be used before a series comes out to get some hype built up around the characters role in it. I cannot tell you just how impressed I am with the quality of this issue. The way the book flows and how information is presented along with the whole idea behind it is splendid.
Mark and his Asperger’s has been and essential part of who he is and how we see him and how he’s developed over time has been one of the best aspects of the series. This issue is the culmination of his development and in some ways I’m impressed with the man he’s become and in others I’m terrified of him as well and that’s a credit to Matt’s skill with characterisation and the story development. That I am sitting trying to find the words to adequately describe how this man has managed to impress me with how far he’s come with his writing.
Raffaele is such an amazing artist and his interiors are so dramatic and that attention to detail he brings is stunning. The first page of the story with the bird was beyond expectation as it just has this entirely hauntingly beautiful and creepy aspect that instantly mesmerises you. The way that page layouts are used so that we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows such a magnificent eye for storytelling. The use of backgrounds and the way it all comes together to expand the story is near perfectly done. God the faces he brings to us are just wow.
So Mark is going to be a father and he doesn’t know whether that’s good or bad considering who his own parents are. Maggie though she’s been his crush since the moment he first saw her and if there’s anyone who deserves to be happy and bring a new life into this world its these two. Who your parents are isn’t as much a factor as one might think, for instance I don’t know my birth parents and that’s not affected my life but Mark’s different and he’s been treated like his condition was a problem and it’s one he’s overcome to his own satisfaction.
Handling such a condition isn’t easy but Matt does his research and isn’t afraid to tackle anything and it’s another reason why I am enamoured with his work. This issue was as much a journey of self-discovery for Mark as it was closing the door of his past to allow him a future with his unborn child. Superbly done and expertly handled this has all the emotional impact of getting hit by a train full on. This is one of the most crazy good single issue books that perfectly illustrates why this series needs to be read in full.
Bold, daring and innovative this is why you never go wrong with Top Cow!