J. Michael Straczynski and Ben Templesmith are back to bring you the tale of Joe Fitzgerald, a former mob killer turned enforcer for angels. He charges ten grand for his jobs to ensure he gets people who really need the help. Plus, if he dies a righteous death, he can be reunited with his dead lover for five minutes. Then, he is resurrected again, to continue his work.
Join me as I wax poetic on it, won’t you?
Ten Grand #2 (Image Comics and Joe’s Comics)
Straczynski oozes style like a scared sea cucumber. This second issue of Ten Grand is still noir, still supernatural, and still kicks your fucking teeth in. Characters with supernatural abilities are treated as a typical noir detective’s conec would be, except people like Johnny, the man who has second sight and can see the unseen world of demons and angels. This is the beauty of Ten Grand. Incredible things treated as mundane by Joe, the undying detective with a massive chip on his shoulder the size of a dead lover.
As always, Templesmith seeps the fucker in darkness, harsh angles, insane-looking monsters, and closeups of teeth. As is often the case in many Templesquid works, we find ourselves in a place lit with florescent neon. He kills it, as he always does. He’s the Ralph Steadman of comic art. Merely less abstract, and with a finer grasp on color layering. The art is kinetic. A kick to the door, then we see our character from above. Zoom in, zoom out, from panel to panel. Perpetually in motion, and always captivating.
And who doesn’t love seeing this thing that should not be?
10
- The art makes me want to buy prints of it to roll around in.
- The writing drips style like a fat guy on E at a disco
- The plot is incredibly intriguing
Is It Good?
I don’t think I can rightly explain how psyched I am on this series. It gives me the fucking willies, and hits me right in the feels. It has the gritty feel of an urban detective drama, and the outlandishness of a supernatural tale. Ridiculous elements merge with stark realness to create something that is shocking, funny, sad, and mysterious.
Go read it please. Right now. I’ll wait.
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