Titan Comics 2017
Written by Ben Aaronovitch & Andrew Cartmel
Illustrated by Lee Sullivan
Coloured by Luis Guerrero
Lettered by Rob Steen
Peter Grant is one of London’s Finest, a member of the Metropolitan Police Service. However, while most of the capital’s PCs are out chasing pickpockets and helping vomit-soaked hen parties, Peter is well underway to becoming London’s second wizarding cop. Working out of the secretive Folly in the heart of the city, he and his colleagues take on these crimes that might described as weird, spooky or frozen-hand-around-the-heart terrifying. Having garnered a fair amount of experience and knowledge, Peter is alos in line for a promotion and is undergoing the process that could make him a Detective.
I stand by my assessment from last issue when I said that this is the perfect jumping on point for new readers. Read this series and then go back and read the trades for the two previous arcs. What we are seeing here in the whole vetting process of Peter trying to pass muster and achieve the rank of Detective is exactly what you need to understand this world, these characters and the kind of people who inhabit it.
Ben and Andrew do some incredibly fine characterisation here. Not only are we getting this fantastic look at Peter, interviews tell you more about a person than most realise, but at those who surround him as well. Such as the lovely young lady with her mask. I am very much enjoying seeing these people fleshed out more both on and off the case as we see moments that really let us in. This is a rare form of writing that let’s us see the characters as people, human and accessible not just random folks on the page whom we happen to enjoy following.
I do like the interiors here. The paintings we see and the style they are done in WOW kudos because damn that’s some serious talent! I’m really gobsmacked by what we see hanging on the walls here people. The rest is really strong as well, the use of page layouts through their angles, perspective and utilisation of backgrounds is fantastic stuff. The linework is gorgeous and the attention to detail is superb here. It really does wonders in engaging the readers imagination and creativity.
I cannot recommend this enough, it truly is one of the best introductions to this world or any world in a comic book that i’ve had the pleasure to read. With some stellar characterisation, story development, pacing and overall direction it’s time to get lost in the world Ben created.