The first issue of this Dark Horse miniseries about a genius librarian and masked vigilante was clever and engaging, and the second issue kicked the kookiness up an extra notch. What sort of twists await us now that we’ve gotten this far?
Written by Dennis Hopeless
Illustrated by Mike NortonWhile Devin is living out her dream, working among the greatest minds in the world, the Answer is stuck in a nuthouse nightmare! They’ll both have to wake up and work together if they’re going to unravel the secrets of the enigmatic BRAIN TRUST.
So: Devin, our ridiculously intelligent librarian protagonist, is just beginning to settle in at Brain Trust, the mysterious corporation that used some pretty dubious means to hire her. But there are worse things than being set to work among the greatest minds of your generation, and come on – there’s free breakfast. Meanwhile, The Answer’s got some troubles of his own – not least the fact that he’s being locked up in an asylum, and forced to wear a gown that doesn’t quite close in the back – and it seems like there’s more to both of these characters’ situations than meets the eye.
In terms of writing, Devin’s dialogue continues to be one of the most charming things about this title. She’s amusingly blunt, confronting her coworkers as to whether or not they have any reason to believe ill of Brain Trust, and later, manages a difficult confrontation with aplomb – not to mention a good helping of whoop-ass. And while they don’t see each other until the end of the issue (maybe), part of the fun of this particular chapter is tracking the parallels between Devin’s situation and The Answer’s, and noting the vital similarities in their reactions (as unpredictable as The Answer’s can often be). After all, sometimes the most rational and well-thought-out action does involve a frying pan to the crotch.
So far as plot goes, I’d be lying if I said one of the revelations in this issue was difficult to guess beforehand, but Hopeless adds a twist on top of a twist and concludes the issue on one arresting and bewildering note. This has been one clever, novel series so far, and the end of this issue is a great example of Hopeless continuing to keep the reader a few tantalizing steps behind.
Mike Norton’s art is lovely as usual, setting down a sympathetic Devin as well as a slightly more loopy one when the situation calls for it. There’s also a great, minimalistic moment when Devin is reduced to a silhouette, with an anatomical drawing of a brain superimposed, and it’s executed beautifully, getting right at the feeling of euphoria that working at Brain Trust instils. And apart from a few moments where Devin looks a touch over-muscled, the anatomy going on here is also really accomplished – but then, that’s Norton being Norton, and his work is predictably excellent. The real wonder here is how Norton gets quite so much expression out a masked character, and manages to imbue him with a personality that lines up with his eccentric one-liners.
Mark Englert’s colours hits all the right notes, getting across the sleek ambiance of Brain Trust with subtle touches of blue and orange before dirtying up the spectrum for the asylum scenes. And while the skin tone shading is sometimes a touch overdone, Englert neatly captures the effect of fluorescent lighting on an already uncomfortable environment.
Overall, this miniseries is moving along nicely, with just the right mix of silliness and genuine suspense, and an art style that matches this mix of levity and intrigue. Best of all, if you thought you were on top of the game at this issue’s beginning, you definitely won’t be at the end. It’s too bad this isn’t an ongoing – but at least we’ve got a little more time with this series to, well, figure out the answers.
Final Verdict: 8.5 – Buy!
