An immensely engaging cast, compelling mystery, and intriguing cliff-hanger ending will have readers excited for future volumes in this ongoing series.
While obviously inspired by classic characters such as Travis McGee and Jack Reacher, Brubaker and Phillips’s (Cruel Summer) Reckless transcends the creators’ influences in this complex portrait of the heartbroken melancholy of a disillusioned idealist who can’t quite give up on his fellow man.
Amazing neonoir expressionistic art by Henderson (Unbeatable Squirrel Girl) is unfortunately fatally drained of lifeblood by undernourished characters and the uneven narrative of de Campi (Archie vs. Predator). Still, die-hard Dracula fans and enthusiasts of the award-winning creators may want to give this a try.
López (Captain Marvel. Vol. 4: Earth’s Mightiest Hero) is acclaimed for his work illustrating superhero spectacle, but his writing debut reveals a rich, playful imagination and sophisticated sense of character development in this action-packed superhero/sf family saga.
A strong sense of place, an offbeat take on vampire mythology, and gorgeously grim illustration combine to make this first volume in an ongoing horror series a memorable standout.
The powerhouse creative team of Brubaker and Phillips (Pulp) combine elements of noir and coming-of-age stories in this psychologically and emotionally complex drama about desperate men and women daring to strive for better lives in a violent world where hope and love are dangerous liabilities.
An emotionally raw, thematically rich, intricately plotted saga with strong appeal for more literary-minded readers from the prolific Lemire (Gideon Falls. Vol. 4: The Pentoculus).
Overall, an interesting examination of the events surrounding one of the strangest conspiracy theories in the history of popular culture. Yet ultimately, the work is slight and anticlimactic owing to an unsuccessful twist ending. [Previewed in Douglas Rednour’s “Picture This,” LJ 4/20.]