Zenescope Entertainment 2016
Written by Lou Iovino
Illustrated by Sergio Arino & Riveiro
Coloured by Grostieta & Hedwin Zaldivar
Lettered by Taylor Esposito of Ghost Glyph Studios
People were disappearing throughout the city at an alarming rate. Enticed by the hefty reward money, Robyn jumped into action to save her struggling business and a few lives along the way. She discovered that evil Troglodytes dwelling in the sewers were responsible for the abductions. After an intense battle, she saved a young boy from an unsavory fate and put an end to the kidnappings. But her victory will be short lived. The creatures and their leader, it seems, aren’t done with Robyn yet.
Maybe it’s just me but I feel like this maybe could’ve been a two issue story instead of crammed into one. For whatever reason I feel like it was rushed, Lou is a good writer and I know the story is from Joe which would kind of explain that but I dunno. This feels off to me somehow.
Alright so Robyn gets hired and she’s off on a fact finding mission to make money to pay her rent. Only she’s been played and instead walks into a trap. Unless i’m missing something this doesn’t seem to have anything to do with the woman who got her arrow as a gift in that underground lair. Still the concept is good and that we see Brit guest starring and catching up, she’s Red Agent team leader now after all, is highly enjoyable.
Still the first two issues had a better flow and with everything that is revealed here i’d have expected to see more background information than what we got. I love the fact that Robyn surprises Brit who lets off a flash bomb and Robyn has no idea whom she’s fighting. It’s a great scene and it plays out really well. There was more time spent on their fight than any real info on this woman who collects highborns other than Brit’s hey here’s a super quick recap.
That they do what they do is great but again no new connections made from that and it just seems to end too suddenly. Then there’s the whole scene with Gabby. Where did this come from? What’s really going on here and who built the center or is funding it etc it just pops up out of nowhere like those annoying ads on the computer.
Then there’s the end end. Really okay so the dude that Brit stopped and killed isn’t dead but he isn’t blaming Brit for what’s happened just Robyn. Cause yeah that makes sense to me, though I get it it was her arrow through the head an all but seriously.
The one huge bright spot in this issue are the interiors. They have great linework, the panels on pages are well used with angles, perspective and backgrounds (well mostly). There’s a great comic vibe that comes off them and the way the whole book flows through the story is carried out nicely. Love the faces and the facial expressions and Brit’s wolf look. The captured Highborns are nice though I can’t place where any are from.
For me this issue was like Lorraine Swiss, so full of holes and one slice not completely satisfying. That’s unusual for what we always get from Lou too. Where’s the consistency with the story that should flow through the book until it’s time to confront this new/old enemy? Where’s the characterization and character growth we’re used to? It just seemed too random and incomplete this time around.