Cameron Chase is an agent of the Department of Extranormal Operations. Cameron is responsible for watching and eliminating metahuman threats to the DC Universe. When a mission is too small for the Justice League or requires a more covert setting, Cameron is DEO Director Bones’ first choice to investigate. The series spans nine normal issues along with a special DC One Million tie-in. The short-lived series has a legendary reputation at DC and pre-dates the debut of Marvel counterpart Jessica Jones by a couple of years. Author Dan Curtis Johnson only has a couple of credits in comics which makes the creation of “Chase” even more fascinating. “Chase” is also instrumental for featuring art from DC illustration mastermind J.H. Williams III before he was defined by landmark DC runs on “Detective Comics” and “Promethea.” Despite the low number of issues and sales, “Chase” still retains an incredibly solid reputation for its noir tone and ambitious art.
Written by Dan Curtis Johnson
Penciled by J.H. Williams
Inked by Mick Gray
Colored by Lee Loughridge
Lettered by Comicraft
“Chase” pulls readers into the series really quickly with a brief horror story of a young metahuman in Ohio named Jerry. Jerry manifests his powers in a horrific manner while class is in session. In this issue, Johnson acclimates Cameron into the first day of her job in the DEO. The heartbreaking collision that brings Jerry and Cameron together teases the tone and mysteries that are resolved in future chapters. Johnson captures a beautiful parallel with “Alias” by hiding Chase’s origin story and seeding a greater trauma that readers aren’t aware of until they read farther into “Chase.” Another great aspect of the series that is present in the issue is how firmly Johnson grounds “Chase” in the late ‘90s DC continuity. Readers can see the Grant Morrison and Howard Porter-era “Justice League” looming around the background of the series. It is staggering how many elements spanning across the entire book are introduced in this one issue with ease. Johnson’s script is paced just right and should leave readers anticipating the next issue as soon as they close the back cover of “Chase” #1. Plus, the J.H. Williams interior art is already blossoming in this first chapter as well.
Williams includes just the right amount of details and strong expressions for a noir story. The shadows of the DEO offices lend a sense of authenticity to the title. As the series progresses readers see Williams take even more chances with the art. The signature panel borders in the ‘Shadowing the Bat’ storyline are a hallmark that readers have seen from Williams throughout his career. Thanks to inker Mick Gray and colorist Lee Loughridge there is even more detail and shading present in the last couple of issues as well. As a penciler and interior artist, Williams is already light-years of his comic book contemporaries way back when “Chase” was first published in 1998. Williams’ pencils evoke beauty during a ball in Gotham but capture a moody aesthetic when Chase is staring into her computer screen. It is particularly fascinating to draw the parallel to “Alias” even further and contrast these interiors with artist Micheal Gaydos. Williams and Gaydos are incredibly different artists but both ground a spy-focused, detective story in a superhero Universe. There are tons of shadows in both comic books and each protagonist is able to show superheroes in a completely different light.
The way Johnson and Williams utilize prose and illustrations on the page is another special aspect of the series. Reading the chase family origin in issue #6 with text and pictures allows the layouts for the issue to get even more creative. It is fascinating to contrast the visuals with other DC projects like Grant Morrison and J.H. Williams ‘The Black Glove’ arc of “Batman.” The offbeat tone of shadows and crimson-colored blood with odd layouts are exactly what made Williams so beloved in his later works. Johnson’s script covering the origin of the Chase family is also suitably violent and horrifying to read through. Johnson slowly brings readers in before pulling the rug out from underneath them to show why Chase is the way that she is. The dueling narratives and clever use of the DC Universe are what make issue #2 special. Chase can’t get recent developments from her personal life out of her head while on her latest DEO mission. Johnson and Williams unfold two stories at the same time that play an important role in the overall nature of the comic book. When Johnson’s script starts folding the superheroes and supervillains into the story, the issue’s noir-pulse evokes some of the best moments in “Alias” and Big Two published comic books.
The series has a couple of week spots like the meandering send-off for the main continuity of “Chase” in issue #9. Williams wasn’t able to draw this entire issue which is nothing short of a disappointment considering it is the last issue of the title in proper continuity. When considering the series as a whole it is easy to overlook the flaws aside from the abrupt ending of the comic. Johnson is not able to craft a satisfying conclusion to the series even when taking the DC One Million tie-in into consideration. However, this isn’t the fault of the creative team but the swift editorial decision to cancel the series. “Chase” carries noir undertones and a relationship to the greater DC Universe on par with Marvel’s 28-issue “Alias” comic book. If you have ever seen Director Bones in a DC title and were curious about the organization, there’s never been a better time to read “Chase.” The immense quality of the series is still intact decades after the comic was first published.
