Stephanie Phillips and Goran Sudžuka’s Red Before Black takes its name from an old rhyme regarding the highly venomous coral snake, which its protagonist repeats in the opening page: “Red before black, OK Jack. Red before yellow, kills a fellow.” This could also apply to the book’s leads, Val and Leo. Val is a former soldier who just got out of prison, and is eventually hired by her old friend Miles to kill Leo. Leo is a fast-talking con woman who stole a hefty amount of drugs from Miles, which paints a massive target on her head.
Phillips’ script is full of twists and turns, including a revelation at the end that completely upends what I thought about the book. But she also has a wicked sense of humor, and an even better sense of characterization. In only a few panels, readers will get to know Val and Leo – how Val is boiling over with unresolved trauma and finds an outlet for it, while Leo’s fast mouth and impulsive decision making land her in more and more trouble. It even leads to sparks flying between the two when they meet.
Sudžuka and colorist Ive Svorcina deliver a moody setting with occasional flashes of color – especially red, which comes to the forefront in a disturbing image. When Val gets into a fight in a nightclub , the ground around her seems to crumble, and red vines pull her into a forest that she doesn’t want to be a part of. The blood red vines and bright green foliage are a wild cry from the rest of the neon hues Svorcina uses to depict Florida’s night scene, and lead to another big moment that I won’t spoil.
I also love how Sudžuka stages most of the scenes, with characters getting an introduction that perfectly sums up their personalities. When Val first appears, she literally stomps on a coral snake’s head. When Val first appears, she’s trying to smooth talk a customer into buying her stolen goods – which quickly goes south and leads to her crashing through his house in a jeep. Panels are also dedicated to characters’ eyes and hands, with movements that build a fair amount of tension.
Red Before Black #1 packs plenty of danger, action, and potential romance into its pages, resulting in a chaotically entertaining read. I was hooked from beginning to end, and this is only the start of the story – which is usually a good sign for a new series.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login