Overused title aside, there’s plenty to get excited about in this brand new miniseries from Dynamite – not least that it’s solid, noirish fun.
Written by Andy Diggle
Illustrated by Aaron CampbellSIX BILLION SKILL SETS. ONE LAST CHANCE. Weaver is unique, or so he thinks. Born with an uncanny ability, he can steal other people’s skills — their memories, abilities, and expertise — for a limited time. A man with a power like that could change the world; but as a professional gambler, con-man, and thief-for-hire, Weaver prefers to look out for number one. That is, until he finds himself drawn into a dangerous game of international intrigue where the rules keep changing, the players are hidden… and the first thing he stands to lose is his life. And maybe, just maybe, he isn’t so unique after all…
We’ve all had the experience of picking up a high-concept book, reading it through, and then having no idea what actually happened in the thing – until you happen to look over the solicit, which explains it all for you. It’s a common failing. Too much exposition is a much more obvious flaw than too little, but when a title errs on the side of less, the result can be a confusing muddle.
Not so with “Uncanny”, as high-concept as it is. Taking your typical Most Interesting Man in the World sort of character, and giving him a mechanism by which he can be so damn interesting – he’s able to soak up other people’s knowledge and experiences, like a sponge – everything we need to know about Weaver and his talents comes across in the first few pages. And what do we learn, really? Well, for one, those talents make him one hell of a hard-to-catch criminal.
It all moves very quickly, getting our anti-hero into trouble fast and getting him out of it with even more finesse, presenting him with an “opportunity” that the reader can see coming a mile away. Interesting concepts are that much more easy to wrap your head around when most of the other elements are by-the-book, and that’s pretty much the case here – to a fault, even. The pacing is what keeps it all from feeling too familiar; as Weaver zooms from one situation to the next, the focus is really on seeing his abilities in action, tracking how well he’ll deal with this next obstacle. It also comes clear pretty quickly that Weaver’s abilities have a fatal flaw, and this adds even more suspense as we watch him size up different situations.
For a comic named “Uncanny”, it’s odd that there isn’t a trace of an origin story just yet. But now that we’ve gotten the hooky first issue out of the way, maybe we can look forward to finding out just how Weaver came across his unique talent. For the moment, though, the extra detail isn’t exactly missed — a taut, engaging storyline is liable to make up for that sort of thing.
Aaron Campbell’s art, meanwhile, is noir in a way that doesn’t feel too stripped down or inflexible. Instead what we get is a thoroughly mysterious Singapore underworld, populated with characters expressive enough that we’re tempted to try to get a read on them in the same way Weaver does. Weaver himself is still something of a cipher; but then, that’s as it should be.
A fight scene midway through comes off particularly energetically, demonstrating a wonderful feel for the martial art in question and laid out so smoothly that it looks action-movie effortless. And in true noir style, unpromising locations like the inside of a grounded plane manage to look looming and doomy, with oppressive ceilings and a claustrophobic feel. Bill Crabtree’s muted and vintagey colours certainly add to the atmosphere, keeping the mood grim but also diverse and interesting.
Overall, “Uncanny” is fun and action-packed and maybe just a little too slick for its own good. But then, it’s nice to see high-concept done well, and maybe as this moves along we’ll find a little bit more to sink our teeth into thematically. Either way, between the fast-paced storyline and the accomplished art, this first issue is definitely worth getting to know.
Final Verdict: 8.0 – Buy
