Post by Lance on Feb 22, 2011 9:31:34 GMT -5
Matt Fraction - Writer
Fabio Moon - Artist
Cris Peter - Colors
The Plot - In the second series of reprints of the semi-popular Image Comics character, we rejoin our favorite space-time displaced spy (or at least my favorite, anyway) infiltrating the mad Doctor Klockhammer’s hospital of doom to snag some top secret files he’d been keeping on lock for X.S.M. After a bit of a scuffle in which he ends up killing the creepy little bloke, along with some great dialogue, we ev eventually flash over to a mission briefing between Cornelius Quinn, director of E.M.P.I.R.E, Ruby Seychelle, the creepy floating head that doubles as the organizations mistress of intel and Kaito, Casanova’s newfound sidekick after infiltrating the lads giant robot in the last series. And thus we lead to the premise of Gula. After that, Casanova disappears. No one has any idea where he’s been for about two years. And that isn’t the only person looking for him. Along for the ride is Sasa Lisi, agent of M.O.T.T., the resident space time protectorate.
We also get treated to some lovely side story involving Zephyr Quinn, the literal black sheep of the family and Casanova’s gun toting, torture loving, sex seeking high end mercenary who’s been off gallivanting with Kubark Benday, composed of one part terrorist, one part art thief, and one part sexy. And who’s also playing Zephyr’s love interest in this screen play from hell. After finishing killing David X who’s apparently been running a zen crime syndicate (as much a mind boggling and giggle inducing thought as it is) for Kubarks progenitor, Israel Benday. Who’s been hired by Newman Xenon (Zephyr’s former boss/lover/leader of W.A.S.T.E, E.M.P.I.R.E.S sworn adversary) to kill everyone that knows anything about the H Element project, the same project Casanova had been off to investigate. Needless to say, much killing gets done. Between a therapist who secretly films and ruins his patients lives to a rather stunning blond holocaust survivor who owns a high end casino. And the last one on the list? Her dear old dad. Who I suppose she’ll try to kill in the next issue, but we’ll have to wait and see.
The Good - Matt Fraction seems to do a lot better writing on his own brainchild then he does in his work for other companies. Lots of good dialogue, sticks to established personalities, and it doesn’t really end up dating itself like most comics would by dropping a host of pop culture references, but rather makes up for it with witty exposition and an engrossing plot. Also, the colors on it are gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous. Sure, I’d take the original runs covers if only for it’s blatant references to James Bond (who if you couldn’t guess, I have a deep respect for), but the interior is to die for. Fabio does an excellent job in replacing his brother Gabriel Ba, and really drives home the offbeat humor with fantastic art while Cris Peter handles the coloring.
The Bad - I guess the bad is (and this is going to seem like an odd thing to nitpick) is the rather inexplicable amounts of sex the people have in this series. Seriously. At least a fifth of the book was art of some characters going at it like jack rabbits. Accompanied by dialogue, I let is past, but really? Zephyr has sex at least three times (and I’m counting the times she’s watching herself on screen while having sex with Kubark in the theatre as two at once) in the span of maybe five pages. Which at some point just seems obscene.
Over all, I’m giving the first two issues a 4.5 each. The bad just wasn’t enough to counteract the good in this case to give it any less. If you already have the original run by Image, you really don’t need to look in to the reprint unless you want it in full color, which doesn’t hurt. It's a good jumping on point, despite, y'know, there being only two more issues left in the entire series. Some of the throwbacks to Luxuria might leave you a bit confused, but over all they manage to make it fresh without relying solely on the entire events of Luxuria to drive it.
