Titan Comics 2015
Created, Written & Illustrated by Des Taylor
Well I may not known what to expect from this but I surely didn’t expect this to look like this greatly stylized cartoon style spy thriller. It reminds me of something but I can’t place it and that’s a good thing because it may ring similar by not placing it makes it uniquely Des’.
I’m a huge fan of a good spy thriller, all the action and intrigue surrounded by the machinations of a villain bent on combinations of revenge and power. The concept here is pretty solid Scarlett is head of security for her mother’s international renowned fashion house all the while working the C.I.A. it’s a perfect cover. So we’ve got plenty of cartoon styled models running around with a mother who may or may not be more than meets the eye as well. All of this sets up a wonderful world of interesting characters.
Des sets us up rather nicely too without the need to get heavy in backstory and just let information flow as the story goes on. Now i’m not sure who Scarlett is talking to in L.A. backstage but they obviously know each other extremely well and I have to say that their conversation was good for a chuckle and immediately let the reader know what kind of girl Scarlett is. Headstrong, independent, cocky and kick ass first ask questions later pretty sums it up.
So to understand how she got where she is you’ll have to read the book and the opening pages and a breaking news story will tell exactly what you need to know. I liked that too it was a very neat and succinct way to get the ball rolling. I found the way the entire story unfolded was done extremely well with really good characterization of Scarlett and the introduction of her work to the reader. Scarlett’s got the look of a model and the knowledge, of guns etc, of an agent and the love of fighting mostly seen in men.
As far as first issue introductions go this one is right up there with the best, it’s fun, interesting and we get a great sense of the lead character. The artwork is consistent and definitely has it’s unique look making it even more fun. Part of that is an excellent colour job too the highlights we see make it work really well. The narration/dialogue we get from Scarlett is fantastic and there’s humor mixed in with her serious kick butt attitude and seemingly constant rule breaking. Not to mention we get to see some of her skills all of which is just a set up for what’s still to come.
We do also get a nice look at the bad guys here. It’s an interesting mix of characters and it makes you wonder if everyone of them is really on board or is there a double agent in their midst? Oh and the big we get a peek at too and the end of the book with their plans not laid out but hinted at help ensure a return visit to see what’s going to happen next.
Action, adventure, intrigue and fun wrapped up in a pretty package by Des is sure to brighten up your day.