The most striking thing about the plot is actually what’s not in it: obvious expies of well known superheroes. Without naming names, it probably isn’t hard for you to think of a comic that was billed directly or indirectly as a “What if…” story for a popular character. Maybe described as being “the [character] story DC/Marvel could never tell” because some line gets crossed. “Gun” isn’t that kind of story. Trevor has no obvious corollary in any mainstream comic universe, and most of his co-stars are just as unique as he is. Similarly, the storyline is completely independent of the fantastic powers of the cast. This didn’t need to be a superhero comic, but the extra element allows some aspects of the story to be amped up and explored in ways that wouldn’t work in a more grounded setting.
Once you get past the superficial aspects of the book and really start to read it, you’ll immediately notice how much there is to read. When Jack Foster was shopping this comic around to publishers and Diamond, he was often criticized either for being too wordy or for the slow pace of the story. To be honest, those criticisms aren’t entirely incorrect. “Gun” does have more words than average, and the story is not always racing forward. What these comments are missing, however, is how the wordiness and pace enhance the tone of the story.
The lead may be a criminal instead of a detective, but “Gun” is a hard boiled story at its heart. The weary, bitter narration is reminiscent of Raymond Chandler, and the natural way things go off the rails due to unexpected events smacks of Elmore Leonard. Could the story move faster? Sure. Could some of the narration be cut? Absolutely. But doing either would alter the whole feel of the story, and “Gun” would lose a big chunk of what makes it stand out from the crowd.
And, for all the words Foster fits onto the pages, there’s not a single moment in the whole issue bogged down by exposition. While this is partly due to the refinement process “Gun” went through during the six years between inception and release, a lot of it has to do with the cynical tone of the narrator. Trevor’s monologuing is the most entertaining when the plot is moving at its slowest, which is an effective way to hold a reader’s interest. The playful dialog provides a great contrast to the bored narration as the characters take frequent potshots at one another.
This kind of interaction is the key element to why “Gun” works. There is a plot holding the comic together, but the core of the story is in the characters. According to Foster, “Gun” is about people who believe something about themselves so strongly, they force that belief to be the truth. No, that’s not the secret behind all their superpowers. The cast are low-level henchmen, not very successful, and constantly used as pawns. They may attend Villainon meetings and say they want to go straight, but in their soul they know they’re bad guys who will always struggle to get ahead as they chase that mythical “big score” that will set them up for life.
Continued belowThere’s a lot to say about the art in “Gun”. Foster’s a self-taught painter, and he does his best to bring watercolor’s strengths to comics instead of just using it for color. He was inspired as a young man by the rare but excellent paintings done by George Perez, Art Adams, and Mike Mignola. The first issue was painted over the course of years, and a careful eye can follow along as Foster develops his style through the 34 pages.
Before he starts painting a page, Foster likes to have a detailed script written for the full issue. There may still be a little editing done when he puts brush to board, but the mental and physical costs of rewriting a script and re-painting a page are vastly different. He says he can modify a script in an afternoon, but the time to recreate the pages to alter a scene after it’s been drawn is “heartbreaking.”
The time spent on the watercolors is worth it for the added depth and moodiness they provide to the scenes. The cover image shown above calls up memories of old paperback mysteries, the kind you’d find read and worn for a quarter in used book stores. In many cases, the paint adds textures to the panels that would be hard to duplicate with other coloring techniques. Check out the stains on the walls in this excerpt:
One drawback to watercolors is the time involved. At this point, Foster says he’d be unable to maintain this quality on a monthly schedule, and that an issue every six weeks is more realistic.
Something that may turn away potential readers is the price tag – the first issue is $4.99. Initially, the book was supposed to be 28 pages, but it increased to 34 pages in an attempt to address Diamond’s suggestions. Foster wanted to keep the retail price at $3.99, but the reduced profit margin would be unsustainable. He’s also offering a digital version for less, and he’s currently waiting to hear if iTunes or Comixology are interested in offering it. Either way, there’s more than enough story packed into this issue to justify the higher price.
For those who are willing to buy into the first issue, Foster promises a complete story. Issue 2 is already completed and being printed. He’s currently working on the third issue, which completes the arc. Even if sales of the first issue are a complete fail, he promises fans will still be able to get the end of the story digitally, if not in print. On the more hopeful side, the revenue from issue 1 will be used to cover the printing costs for issue 3, and “Gun” will continue on as a regular series. He has another 5 issue arc planned to follow this one, and a general idea for five years worth of content before the story reaches a predetermined ending.
Since Diamond isn’t carrying “Gun” (yet), you won’t see it offered in Previews. Instead, you can buy it direct from Foster at Guncomic.com. If you really feel like supporting a creator, you can ask your local retailer to stock it. The same website has a retailer package at wholesale pricing with some extra incentives. If you’re a fan of “Sleeper” or “Incognito”, then this is definitely something you should check out.
