SENSATIONAL SHE-HULK #6 hits your local comic book store on March 6th, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive four-page preview for you!
About the issue: Last issue, She-Hulk was offered a spot on the Avengers. Will she take it? In the meantime, Jen and Jack of Hearts’ space vacation gets quite dangerous. Lingering questions from years ago are going to be asked again, and the answers may just destroy the new It Couple of Comics!
The issue is by writer Rainbow Rowell and artist Andrés Genolet, with colors by Dee Cunniffe, and letters by Joe Caramagna. The main cover is by Jen Bartel.
Check out our SENSATIONAL SHE-HULK #6 preview below:
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From writer Cody Ziglar (Miles Morales: Spider-Man) and artist Justin Mason (Spider-Man 2099: Dark Genesis, Star Wars) comes a team-up superhero comic a la garage bands in Spider-Punk: Arms Race #1. Featuring Morry Hollowell on colors and Travis Lanham’s lettering, Arms Race is a fun yet formulaic start to this follow-up to Ziglar & Co.’s 2022 Spider-Punk series that could just use more, well Spider-Punk. With excellent art and neat parallel universe character-design, Arms Race is still worth a read for fans of Marvel comics outside of the 616.
“ENCORE! YOU WANTED MORE! In a world without NORMAN OSBORN, SPIDER-PUNK REIGNS! This ain’t no victory lap though – as HOBIE BROWN and team try to rebuild society, JUSTIN HAMMER & DOCTOR OTTO OCTAVIUS have other plans…like introducing the world to the SPIDER-SLAYING SENTINELS!”
Writing & Plot
Cody Ziglar’s signature high-energy scripting is back in full-bore on Spider-Punk: Arms Race #1. Following the defeat of President Osborne in the previous series, Hobie Brown and the rest of his band, Mz. Marvel, Mattea Murdock (Daredevil), Riotheart, and Captain Anarchy, are helping protect and repair the world with the help of Wakanda. Meanwhile, as usual, old foes work in the background to take advantage of the world’s fragile state, as Justin Hammer teams up with Otto Octavius to create new anti-Spider superweapons. The Earth-138 versions of beloved Marvel characters are a fun diversion in and of themselves, and it’s cool to jump into a superhero comic that doesn’t have the decades of stings and history attached. While reading the previous series will add some context, readers can jump into Arms Race and will have no trouble keeping up. While Arms Race offers some goofy fun and tons of energy thanks to Ziglar’s relentless energy, it suffers from being less of a Spider-Punk book, and more of a punk team-up comic. While the book is a good time, it isn’t terribly compelling. Remove the Earth-138 trappings, and Arms Race just feels like any other teen-focused superhero team comic.
Art Direction
Justin Mason brings Spider-Punk: Arms Race #1 to life with his powerful, animated pencils and kinetic sequential direction. Hobie Brown and his band of alternate universe Marvel heroes all have great designs that blend well with this universe’s aesthetic while not straying too far from their 616 counterparts (except maybe for Mattea Murdock). Mason’s facial and body animation gives the cast tons of personality, flowing perfectly with Ziglar’s energetic script. His thin lines and use of hatching add dimension to every page, aided even more by Morry Hollowell’s dense color palette. Mason’s sequential direction carries the action at a fast but even pace, letting the conversational moments sink in while the action is full of that Spider-Man level kinetic punch. Hollowell’s colors add a sort of gritty, grimy layer over the pages to add to the street-level punk aesthetic of the issue, and it works brilliantly. Travis Lanham’s bombastic lettering is a stellar finishing touch for Arms Race’s visual experience. His work with fonts and word balloons explode off the page with such style that it perfectly matches the tone of the rest of the book – a fitting statement for a Spider-Punk comic.
Verdict
Spider-Punk: Arms Race #1 is a fun comic that could just use more Spider-Punk. Cody Ziglar’s infectious enthusiasm is present on every page, but his writing is bogged down by forgettable super-team fights without any memorable character moments. The visuals from Justin Mason and Morry Hollowell are brilliantly animated and nail the garage-punk tone Earth-138 demands. Be sure to grab this issue when it hits shelves on February 28th!
After last issue’s cliffhanger, the twists and the turns couldn’t possibly get better, right? Well, writer Joshua Williamson proves us wrong. He continues his Energon Universe story in the pages of Duke #3. At the end of the last issue, we saw Conrad “Duke” Hauser and Lance Steinberg locked up in The Pit, with seemingly no escape.
That’s where Baroness comes in. Williamson yet again finds another character fans love to weave into this story, and does it well. She’s secretive and manipulative, and plays both roles well. Duke, on the other hand, is still tortured by the events of Transformers #2, which further drives him to not give up. Duke is too trusting, and that is highlighted again in this issue. Why does he keep these secrets for a country that has betrayed him? I feel like Williamson explores that concept well, having Duke in this prison. It’s explored further through a conversation with Baroness, which takes up a solid chunk of the issue.
Enter: Baroness
Tom Reilly does a wonderful job once again bringing these characters to life, and Jordie Bellaire colors the issue masterfully. The action is incredible to follow throughout, and the coloring shifts when an action scene takes place are really a sight to behold. The art serves the story well, and the coloring works hand in hand with it to embrace that feeling. There’s this fantastic double-page spread with agents coming out of helicopters that really supports the style, but also the general contents of the book as a whole. This works as both an action-packed spectacle as well as something that takes you on this ride where you find yourself invested in this character’s journey.
Tom Reilly and Jordie Bellaire bring Baroness to life
Not only that, but the lettering by Rus Wooton isn’t anything to look over either. He matches the art wonderfully, and makes his presence known. He’s able to match every page and really adds a sense of urgency to certain scenes. Everything looks wonderful visually in this issue, with each aspect from each creator on board doing its job to keep readers’ eyes glued to the page and on the edge of their seats.
Reilly and Bellaire both masterfully express themselves on the page, with Wooton supporting them incredibly. They tell the story Williamson scripts exceptionally well, and with impressive skill. There’s never a dull moment. Williamson continues to tell this story of this tortured protagonist trying to do better, and he couldn’t have asked for a better team to tell that with. I appreciate how this story weaves itself into the greater Energon Universe, and how someone like Duke is important to that.
There’s definitely a Saturday morning cartoon feel to this, and one that I love. My only complaint is that I wish it were weekly! This action packed comic has me itching for more, and I can’t wait to see what they do next.
THE ALL-NIGHTER #15 (the series finale!) hits the internet February 27th, but thanks to Comixology Originals, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive five-page preview for you.
About the issue: Together again, our heroes are set to take down The Takers once and for all.
THE ALL-NIGHTER #15 is by writer Chip Zdarsky and artist Jason Loo, with colors by Paris Alleyne, and letters by Frank Cvetkovic. Allison O’Toole is the series editor.
ALL-NIGHTER Volumes 1 & 2 are available digitally through Comixology, or in print from Dark Horse. Zdarsky and Loo’s previous Comixology series, Afterlift, won the 2020 Eisner Award for Best Digital Comic.
Check out the THE ALL-NIGHTER #15 preview below:
Have you been reading THE ALL-NIGHTER? Are you excited for the series finale? Sound off in the comments!
THE IMMORTAL THOR #7 hits your local comic book store on February 28th, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive four-page preview for you!
About the issue: THE TRIALS OF UTGARD!
Young Thor faced the tricks of the Utgard-Loki, with all that lived at stake – in a tale twice-told and now told again. Yet the teller was the Skald of Realms, in their aspect as Thor’s enemy. And thus, the tale could twist upon itself – and if Thor faltered, it could make a new end. This is the story of the IMMORTAL THOR…and the story may yet destroy us all.
The issue is by writer Al Ewing and artist Martín Cóccolo, with colors by Matthew Wilson, and letters by Joe Sabino. The main cover is by Alex Ross.
Check out our THE IMMORTAL THOR #7 preview below:
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BOOM! Studios’ latest comic is here to haunt your dreams, leaving readers wondering what happens when major cities begin to vanish. The Displaced #1 has Ed Brisson (writer), Luca Casalanguida (artist), Dee Cunniffe (colorist), and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou (letterer) at the helm.
What do you suppose happens to those who have gone missing?
The Displaced #1 brings readers to a world where major cities can disappear without a trace and, soon enough, without any memories. If that doesn’t terrify you, it probably should. This series strives to make readers believe that it can happen to any of us.
It all starts in the middle of the night in Oshawa, Ontario. First, there was a tremor. Soon, those tremors became something much more nefarious. The few survivors near the edges of the disappearance know more than anyone else, which isn’t to say much.
We can thank the minds of Ed Brisson (Batman: The Brave and the Bold), Luca Casalanguida (James Bond), Dee Cunniffe (Barnstormers), and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou for bringing this story to life. It also raises the question: how would you go about proving a disappearance as large-scale as this?
Let this brooding and atmospheric adventure begin!
Writing
Reading The Displaced #1 is a unique experience. It feels like a classic sci-fi show, with certain horror elements woven into it. Picture the early setting of a Stephen King novel, and you’ll have an idea of the vibe this new comic has created.
Ed Brisson’s sci-fi/horror wastes no time throwing readers into the deep end. One moment, we meet the (presumably) main characters, and the next, their world falls apart. Despite this quick introduction, the series has already delivered several surprises.
We all know that people are going to disappear — that there will be loss and pain. Thus, there are certain assumptions made right from the start. Brisson does a good job of twisting some of those assumptions. This reader was surprised by who disappeared and who remained.
Each character involved has a rich and complex life, making them feel real. It’s an essential foundation for the tragedy that will follow. More importantly, it’s the motivation we need to hope they’ll find a way back to their people.
There is something oddly familiar and ethereal about this image.
Artwork
The bold artwork is an absolute highlight of The Displaced #1. It alone would make the story worth reading (thankfully, the plot is likewise compelling, so there’s no need to settle). While the night scenes try hard to steal the show, something interesting happens on every panel.
Luca Casalanguida is the lead artist for this project, and they did a great job bringing the characters to life. The visuals help us get a feel for their lives in the before moments — and their pain and confusion in the aftermath.
Meanwhile, Dee Cunniffe’s colors are a sight to behold. Sometimes, the colors feel more subdued — fitting into the cityscape of it all. But then there are those moments when the colors can run wild (the night skies, the explosions, etc.).
Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou’s letters help to tie it all together. Actually, it does more than that. The disappearance that occurs could never fit in an entire page of comic panels. So, the lettering does the work for us here, signifying when the world is about to shift.
How far would you go, to find those you lost?
Conclusion
The Displaced #1 is a compelling and surprisingly emotional start to a series. It demands investment from the readers while raising half a dozen questions that must be answered. Combine that with the atmospheric storytelling style, and it’s easy to see why readers will want to check this one out.
After the events of issue #1, Ultimate Spider-Man #2 sees Peter Parker suited up and trying to make New York City a safer place (once he gets the hang of web-slinging). For fans of the web-head, what Jonathan Hickman, Marco Checchetto, Matthew Wilson, and Cory Petit are doing here isn’t just great—it’s amazing, spectacular, sensational, and even superior.
(See what I did there?)
If you’re part of the minority that felt last issue was too light on the action, have no fear: this issue sees Spidey taking to the rooftops and crossing paths with his first supervillain. The action is electric and dynamic; Checchetto and Wilson make sure of that. Somehow—even though we’ve seen it countless times over six decades—this team is able to make Spider-Man spinning webs and swinging through the city feel new and exciting.
Everyone is having fun working on this title, and you can feel it radiating off the pages. Hickman’s dialogue is quippy, and Checchetto not only fills this issue with big action, but a few visual gags that will make you laugh out loud (mostly featuring Peter taking a beating, usually thanks to his own inexperience). Wilson’s use of vibrant colors amid an otherwise drab color palette makes for an engaging visual treat, and Petit’s masterful lettering guides you through these panels in a way that makes you feel like you’re swinging alongside our hero. Ultimate Spider-Man #2 is a perfect example of a creative team just having a blast and firing on all cylinders.
Now the quipping and superhero action may feel familiar and comfortable, but don’t be fooled: Hickman, Checchetto, and company are lulling you into a false sense of security. What’s really fun and exciting about this universe is how unfamiliar it is.
At the heart of this new Ultimate Spider-Man is the exploration of what it means to become a superhero at 35 instead of 15. What is it like getting superpowers with a fully developed prefrontal cortex? What drives this Peter Parker who was given his powers and didn’t learn the whole “great power/great responsibility” lesson the hard way? How do you balance being a superhero vigilante with having a wife and two kids? As familiar as this book feels at times, these are all fairly original concepts to the character, and that Ultimate Spider-Man is taking the time to unpack all of these ideas and more is the real reason to keep reading.
Also, the partnership of J. Jonah Jameson and Ben Parker is a stroke of genius; their friendship stole the show in the first issue, and it continues to be a standout feature of this title.
Just like the original run did over 20 years ago, Ultimate Spider-Man breathes fresh air into one of the world’s most recognizable characters while covering readers with a blanket of familiar comfort at the same time. The next issue can’t get here soon enough.
There are dark clouds gathering on the horizon of BOOM! Studios’ Animal Pound. The first pages show us a rabbit running from a hungry dog. In the face of starvation, the order the animals have fought so hard for begins to crumble. Writer Tom King, artist Peter Gross, colorist Tamra Bonvillain, and letterer Clayton Cowles present pages drenched with both hope and dread in this week’s Animal Pound #2.
Writing
As previously discussed, Animal Pound is an homage to George Orwell’s classic novel Animal Farm. King shows us in this issue that he’s making big changes to the source material to tell his own version of the story. For one thing, the hierarchy of the animals is more immediately obvious than it is in Orwell’s tale. The dogs are the largest animals in the pound, the cats the most cunning, and the rabbits the most vulnerable. The dwindling of food supplies begins earlier in the plot than it did for Orwell’s livestock friends. Yet there’s plenty more to make Animal Pound nuanced in ways that its spiritual parent was not.
The unofficial leaders of the pound are Fifi the cat and Titan the dog. With this, King adds a layer of tension. Orwell’s story featured two pigs who were at odds with one another. They may have differed ideologically, but they were still the same kind of animal. With this change, King questions what it means to have power. The dogs can physically overpower any of the others, yet the cats seem like they could outsmart any of the animals. And as the animals realize that they need to find a solution to their diminishing resources, King introduces one final, brilliant element to the story that plants us firmly in the modern era. You’ll have to read it to see exactly what I mean. In Animal Pound #2, King pairs a poetic, metered, and eloquent writing style – which echoes Orwell’s own voice so gracefully – with contemporary themes to show us that we are still wrestling with the same obstacles Animal Farm warned us about so many years ago. Animal Pound suggests that the enemies are the same; it’s only their weapons that have changed.
Art
Gross’ art is incredible in its ability to convey details through such subtlety. Despite the fact that Gross’ subjects are all animals, and it ought to be complicated to show their expressions, he has no trouble clueing us in on what they’re feeling. In one of the first pages, when a dog chases a rabbit into a bush, Gross draws several cats and dogs who are slowly making their way over, curious about what’s going on. Through their understated body language, he begins to build the panic that must be spreading through the pound, as in each passing panel they realize their dreams of an ordered society might be slipping away.
Gross also brilliantly depicts time passing in one particular scene. As nine animals gather to discuss things, he uses the De Luca effect – drawing the same characters over and over again in the same two page splash – to show us how long their deliberations must be. Government, Gross points out, takes a tremendous amount of patience and willpower.
Coloring
Bonvillain’s use of colors is unbelievably brilliant. The scene of the dog chasing the rabbit, which ought to seem terrifying and ominous, Bonvillain colors brightly. When the dog holds the rabbit’s dead body in his mouth, the straightforward palette almost seems to ask the question “Isn’t this totally normal for dogs to do?” As the story progresses, we get plenty more scenes where Bonvillain seems to underscore the imminent doom in the text. Dark blues, deep purples, and intense greys surround the hushed conversations of characters who are trying their best to stop everything from falling apart. And yet, after Bonvillain sets us up with that very first scene being so innocently colored, there’s almost a sense of more dread every time the panels return to a brighter tone.
Bonvillain is asking us to look at the storm that’s brewing beneath the surface. When things look normal, are they? Or are the characters just getting better at convincing themselves they’ve fixed the problem?
Lettering
There are so many wonderful things that Cowles does with the lettering in this issue. For one thing, every growl, bark, and cry has a specifically designed sound effect for it. Each follows its own bumpy trail across the page, sometimes with the letters tilted in italics or stretched in an apparent panicked scream. You can hear the timber and rhythm of every sound. One of the best moments of Animal Pound #2, however, is when a rabbit is given the floor to speak to a group of other animals. The rabbit breathlessly and endlessly goes on about some problem that they have. Cowles letters the character’s word balloons so that its edges actually cut off the words they’re saying. It’s just a mass of unorganized text, blathered out as word vomit by an overeager bunny. It’s a great choice that lends itself to the story, while also giving you a moment to chuckle.
Verdict
Animal Pound #2 is another home run for this creative team. It differentiates itself even more from its spiritual predecessor, while keeping the soul of Animal Farm intact. This is not a simple rehashing of George Orwell’s tale. This is a comic for us, for now. In many ways, it feels like Orwell is still with us — he’s just changed his medium so as to appeal to the true intellectuals of our generation. Check out Animal Pound #2, out from BOOM! Studios this week at a comic shop near you!
The team behind Hotel REM is reuniting for SMALL TOWN SPIRITS, an all-ages original graphic novel exploring the origin of Halloween (and hitting stores just in time for the holiday).
The Dark Horse graphic novel is by writer Zack Keller, artist Gabriele Bagnoli, colorist Valerio Alloro, and letterer Frank Cvetkovic.
About SMALL TOWN SPIRITS: There’s a town in Ireland where people still do Halloween the old-fashioned way: an
annual sporting competition to honor the Spirits. Every year, the prestigious O’Dell
family makes an absolute mockery of the lovable but laughable Flanagan family at The
Spirit Games, dashing their dreams of winning. But this year, teenage troublemaker Pad
Flanagan plans to change everything. He tricks the Spirit of an ancient Celtic hero into
training his family for the big event and accidentally opens a supernatural floodgate of
mischief, magic, and monsters that threatens to destroy his town.
On SMALL TOWN SPIRITS, Keller said, “When I found out that Halloween came from Ireland — just like my family, the Fitzgeralds — I jumped at the opportunity to get reacquainted with my roots by writing this book full of charm, cheer and maximum spooky chaos.”
“Ireland is one of the places I love the most,” added Bagnoli. “With this script, Zack made me discover Irish traditions that I knew nothing about. I also got to draw lots of spirits, monsters and mythological creatures — great fun!”
Get your first look at the cover for SMALL TOWN SPIRITS right here:
SMALL TOWN SPIRITS hits comic shops on October 30th, and bookstores a day earlier on October 29th. The 88-page graphic novel is currently available to preorder.
Are you picking up SMALL TOWN SPIRITS when it hits shops this Halloween? Sound off in the comments!
Whenever a new comic, film, or TV series is announced, there is always an element of nervous anticipation. Many factors can influence the level of anticipation, and when it comes to remakes, reboots, or adaptations, no matter how hard you try, there will always be those who instantly dislike what has been announced. Luckily, for Mad Cave Studios, fans of Dick Tracy tend towards the positive—largely because there is a lack of new new stories, so any new product is a welcome one. Yes, it is always a gamble, but no matter what you thought of the previous incarnations of the great American detective, whenever anybody works on a title like this, you know they are putting 100% of themselves into it. The one thing that unites people who have worked on Dick Tracy in its near 100 years of existence is that they have a strong passion for the character and the world created by Chester Gould’s.
Gould was committed to producing the best comic strip week after week for decades. Warren Beatty had a concept for a movie version as early as 1975, with his passion for the project keeping him obsessed with it into the 1990s. And the new creators working on the Mad Cave comic all have exciting things to say about their work. In the press release for the comic, Michael Moreci said “We’re approaching it with great care – we don’t want to make a new Dick Tracy; we just want to make a Dick Tracy.” From a fan’s point of view, that is exactly what you want to hear.
Dick Tracy #1 (Alternative Cover by Shawn Martinbrough) Credit: Mad Cave Studios
Summarizing the plot of Dick Tracy #1 is difficult to do without spoiling some of the excitement of reading the comic and encountering the Dick Tracy treats that are included within its pages. We shall try our best: The story opens with <redacted> having a secret meeting with a journalist, dishing the dirt in an attempt to clear his conscience. The rendezvous is broken up by <redacted> who <redacted>, and leaves chaos in his wake. This brings <redacted> into the picture who teams up with Dick Tracy to bust the case open wide.
Clawing at the origin story originally penned by Chester Gould in 1931, this new Dick Tracy comic combines the soap opera narrative style of Gould’s early stories with the outlandishness of his creative pinnacle in the 1940s, the era that influenced the 1990 movie. It is fast-paced and action-packed, with a surprising amount of plot development in the first issue. There are a lot of exciting and compelling moments that come with a post-Tarantino cinematic feel. This is a modern day crime story owing as much to John Wick as it does Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips’ Criminal series. From the opening shootout to the closing reveal, this comic grabs hold of you and drags you along. This is how Junior must have felt in those early strips.
Dick Tracy #1 (Alternative Cover by Dan Panosian) Credit: Mad Cave Studios
Alex Segura and Michael Moreci are on writing duties, crafting a tale that is both new and old; a postmodern pastiche of Gould’s creation and subsequent offspring. It is a modern take on the early stories with a heavy leaning towards the noir, pulpy aspect of the characters and stories. The violence inherent in the narrative might seem more excessive spread across these glorious pages, but it is only the modern comic book artistic style that creates this impression. Chester Gould’s stories were packed with cruel, harsh violence that, at times, is shocking even to a modern audience. Warren Beatty’s take opened with the bloody massacre of a rival gang all in front of a young child’s eyes. There is no holding back and, like a runaway tram careening down a busy street, the story stops for no-one.
One of the most exciting aspects of the narrative are the recognisable characters that make welcome appearances. With a host of villains and companions to draw from, it is the choices that the writers have made that are intriguing. There are obvious characters in there (you can’t have Superman without Lois Lane, or Batman without Alfred), so one or two of the appearances in Dick Tracy will come as no surprise. However, some of the other choices are brilliant and get the fan juices flowing—a turn of phrase I won’t be using again. Talking about them, even who they are, verges on spoiler territory and, if nothing more, ruins the surprise, so their involvement will have to be examined at a later date. Just be reassured that if you are a Dick Tracy fan, this story delivers.
The Brazilian artist Geraldo Borges is drawing this new interpretation of Dick Tracy and has instantly created the perfect aesthetic for the noir detective story. Comic books are different to comic strips; the layouts are obviously different, with much more space to use, but also the pacing and storytelling are different. With a daily strip, there is so much that has to be crammed into a few panels, catching up readers from previous episodes and moving the story forward; the reductive nature of the art form plays a much bigger part. With a monthly comic book, there is a bit more space to breathe, especially in today’s market where story arcs are told over numerous issues and the one and done comics of yesteryear have mostly disappeared.
With that said, Borges has still embraced the urgency and straight forward storytelling of the comic strip in his work. There are panels comprised of simple forms denoting the characters, and he is not afraid to use blacked out foregrounds that cut a large hole into the page. These moments draw the eye and shape the page. They remind the reader of the nature of the story being told but also recall the black and white newspaper strips that birthed this franchise.
Dick Tracy #1 Credit: Mad Cave Studios
One of the defining qualities of Warren Beatty’s movie was the colourisation. Bright and bold, the movie went out of its way to capture a comic book colour scheme, turning its back on the realist aspects of cinema. Even though the movie gets a lot of negativity, that colourful aspect has become synonymous with Dick Tracy. This is something that colorist Mark Englert has clearly picked up on. The backgrounds reflect the mood of the scene and the costumes are garish and delightful. Tracy’s infamous yellow coat has not been dulled in the slightest. It blazes like a beacon on the page and, as a fan, I wouldn’t want it any other way.
The bright colours also serve a storytelling purpose, as they lead the reader through the page. Your eyes are drawn to the brightest colour, which is always the central character in that scene, and naturally follow that character across the page, from panel to panel. The focus remains constantly on the character that the writers want you to follow, with the extras almost becoming background. There is a reason why superheroes wear brightly coloured costumes, and this crime comic demonstrates that reason better than a lot of recent superhero comics.
You know you are in good hands when a speech balloon with two words in it can give you goosebumps. Letterer Jim Campbell’s recreation of the Dick Tracy title, which is used to announce the titular character’s first appearance, says everything you need to know about this comic. It calls back to the 90-year history of the character and the multiple media tie-ins, while also finding fresh, new ground to cover. Campbell is an expert at what he does, which is classic comic book lettering, and for the most part the speech drifts into the background. Visible but not noticeable. However, there are moments, especially with the sound effects, where the lettering takes center stage. There is one moment in particular, in the opening scene, that contains some astonishing lettering built into the fabric of the image. Again, it draws on the history of the character, referencing the opening sequence from the 1990 movie, but it is also new, a modern take on a classic idea. It’s just a shame that to talk about it too much would spoil the moment, spoil the excitement the reader will get from it.
And that is at the heart of this Dick Tracy comic: the excitement readers will get from this comes from the history of the character and the genre, and how the creators have lovingly used these elements to produce an homage to a great comic strip, but also all of the tie-in media that has followed since. Dick Tracy #1 does all these amazing things while also carving out its own modern story and style. It is both old and new.
Dick Tracy #1 Credit: Mad Cave Studios
It has to be said that I am a fan of Dick Tracy. Reading this comic is an absolute dream. It is everything that I want from a modern version of the character told in a comic book format. Each of the creators captures elements of the characters’ history and brings it together to tell a story that is captivating, compelling, and packed with sweet, sweet Easter eggs. Plus one of my favourite characters is central to the plot. I clapped my hands with joy at the mere mention of his name. However, if you are not a Dick Tracy fan, you will just have to enjoy the superb artwork, the loving homage to noir narrative, and the complex character interactions. Because that’s the real beauty of this comic, it is first and foremost a work of entertainment that anyone can pick up and read. The character archetypes and plot mechanics are so much more than Dick Tracy related throwbacks, the comic embraces the entire pulp noir genre. It is a very modern comic, using elements of storytelling that any comic book reader will recognise and understand. This has definitely been created by people who have a passion for Dick Tracy but it is not aimed just at that small fandom. You need to know nothing of the character or his history to read this. You can simply pick it up and enjoy it straight out of the gate.
Hopefully, this comic will be a gateway for a host of new fans, who can become lost in the history of the character and its creator Chester Gould. And, fingers crossed, it will bring new eyes to the 1990 movie, a new generation who can seek it out and agree that it is the greatest comic book movie ever. (This is a hill I am willing to die on.)
Dick Tracy #1 Credit: Mad Cave Studios
Dick Tracy #1 is published by Mad Cave Studios and goes on general release on April 24th.
