Patrick Brub Comic Reviews

Pinkerton By Patrick Brub Aug 10, 2012 - 15:15 I rarely buy something based solely on reviews or a buzz created on the web. I know this is ironic since I am myself a comic book critics but over the years I have (unfortunately) narrowed down my buying list to authors whose work I already know. Recently however I became quite curious about Pinkerton after reading rave reviews on websites I consider serious about their cultural knowledge. And I am glad now that I ordered this comic book.

If like I said above the plots are pretty consistent the same cannot be said about the art. With five different artists assuming the task of drawing the five short stories we are treated with different styles that range from the professional looking to the more amateurish attempt. My favorite was probably Nathan Thomas Milliner's and it's a shame he did not draw one of Shockley's story because I believe the result could have been interesting. The best combination of art/story is probably the Shockley and Hudson collaboration on Trippin' .

I enjoyed this Ex Occultus one-shot far more than I expected. If you are a fan of supernatural stories or old school adventure I think you should have a look at this series. You can buy directly from the publisher's Web site (www.whoissaintjames.com) or from Indy Planet (www.indyplanet.com/).

Not a bad issues but as far as last issues go this one did not met my expectations. It felt a bit hollow and as I said above, I feel Johns wrote it for himself and that he wanted to leave a legacy to one of his favourite character.

Bottom line, your standard super-hero stuff with an artist bend on showing you every X-Women and X-Vilainess more feminine attributes.

The art has redeemed this comic book a bit. I like Simone Bianchi's pencils, and he uses interesting layouts and his shadowy style creates a dark mood to the story. The only let down would be that the characters blend in too much with the backgrounds, and it's sometime hard, at first glimpse, to distinguish who is doing what. There are two inkers and three colorists assisting Mr. Bianchi on the art. This usually bothers me, but in this case it took careful inspection to see where the differences between each inker were. On a side note, will someone please tell me why European artists working in American comics can't produce interesting work like they do back home. Even if Bianchi's art on X-Men is great, I appreciate his work for European publishers more. Maybe it's the format, the more constricted deadline or the work-for-hire, but it seems like a continuing situation, and it surely does not help American readers appreciate what Europeans can do.

This is another great chapter of the ongoing adventure of the Green Lanterns and of the actual storyline. It is also one of the few comic book that I prefer to read in it's monthly format just for the sheer excitement of expecting the next issue and pondering what will happen next.

I rate this comic book 9 out 10. Its a must for any science-fiction fan.

Overall a good start to a new story arc. I just wish they would not have started a new arc with such strong ties to the last one. It just feels like continuity and not a self contained story.

Final words, I suggest this title only if you are a devoted DC Comics readers. If you are a new reader looking for your favourite character to shine I strongly recommend that you try something more streamlined than this insider-only title.

So was this issue worth the wait? I have to answer yes to that question. Quality takes time to accomplish and I prefer to wait a couple of months than see a fill-in arc or inconsistencies in the art. This issue marks the end of a collaborative team but I think they already are assured a place in the X-Men hall of fame.