Written by Nick Spencer and Robert Kirkman
Illustrated by Shawn MartinbroughConrad Paulson has turned his back to his life as Redmond, international master criminal, in order to regain some semblance of the life he left behind. Will it be enough to reconcile with his wife? Save his son from the life? Or will it end up getting them all killed?
The first issue of Robert Kirkman’s newest creation was a hit here in the Multiversity offices, but second issues tend to be good indicators of where the series will be going, in terms of quality. Is “Thief of Thieves” shaping up to soar, or to slowly plummet?
Check it out after the cut.
The previous issue of “Thief of Thieves” did what most first issues try to accomplish: the main character showed up and showed off, the reader met a bit of the supporting cast, and the main conflict reared its head by the end of the issue – though Redmond himself might not have found it to be a conflict at the time. This issue, by contrast, is more focused on Redmond himself. There are, of course, some plot developments, but these developments primarily serve to flesh Redmond out a bit as a character. We see how Redmond’s questionable occupation affects those around him, and how his priorities might not be in the right place (a bit vague, yes, but spoilers are no fun).
Whether or not Redmond is one of the world’s greatest thieves, he is still a man, and suffers from the faults that all of humanity faces. This kind of intro-retrospective single-issue story is something Nick Spencer has worked with before in the pages of “Morning Glories,” but the characterization in this issue is handled even better. Redmond’s desire to go back to the way things were might not be attainable, but his demeanor during the dinner scene makes it clear that he believes in this dream – making the sad truth that it will never happen hit home even harder. Between comics such as “Morning Glories” and “The Infinite Vacation,” Spencer has been getting attention as a writer known for wild, intricate plotting, but this issue gives him a chance to demonstrate that he can do much more than that. Spencer takes that chance and runs with it, showing some of the most solid character work he has written so far.
Shawn Martinbrough is giving an equally impressive performance on this book. His figures, expressions, and backgrounds are great, but his style stands out above each of these. Like most crime books, there is a lot of heavy inking and high contrast throughout this issue, creating a feeling of seediness. What sets Martinbrough’s work apart from other people working in crime comics, though, is that he does not use that layer of grime that other artists have taken from classic film noir. There is lots of ink, and there are plenty of shadows, but the lines are still crisp and distinct. Instead of creating a feeling of dread and loathing, it makes the life of the underworld seem glamorous – not in a way that encourages crime, naturally, but in a way that provides a visual irony to the moments where everything goes wrong. It may also be important to notice Redmond’s face throughout the issue; in almost every panel, his face is at least partially obscured by shadow, reflecting the illusions he is under until the issue’s end.
The only real flaw with this issue is the coloring, and even then only sometimes. For the most part, Felix Serrano does an excellent job. His background gradients are smooth, appearing more hand-painted than anything else, and so long as distance is kept, the simple colors he uses for the characters are ideal. When he pulls in close, though, he hits an uncomfortable middle ground, where should either go with more or less texture than what he chooses. As is, the close-up faces he works on have a bit of a glossy look to them, striking a strange middle ground of too much and too little texture. This only happens a few times – particularly during panels two and three of story page seven – but it did distract a bit from the comic itself.
Robert Kirkman’s latest experiment is shaping up to be another success, and it’s particularly because of the great team he has onboard. Nick Spencer is the ideal pick for getting the ball rolling on a series like this, and Shawn Martinbrough is creating a visual style that is sure to define the series to come. This was one of those books that gathered attention due to the star power involved, but from here on the book is going to have to rely on its actual quality. I don’t think that’s going to be a problem.
Final Verdict: 8.5 – Buy it!
