The words “taut espionage thriller” get thrown around a lot these days, and it’s hard not to resort to them when you come across a book like “Velvet”. That said, sometimes a formula needs to be played out beyond its usual range in order to reveal new depths and possibilities, and in the case of this later Cold War tale – it’s set in the 70s, and features aging black ops agents – this extra little push into a world with slightly different rules is all it takes to make the whole thing feel fresh. Add a top-notch central character to the mix, and this new ongoing from Image Comics adds up to something sensational.
Written by Ed Brubaker
Illustrated by Steve EptingWhen the world’s best secret agent is killed, Velvet Templeton, the Personal Assistant to the Director of the Agency, is drawn off her desk and back into the field for the first time in nearly 20 years… and is immediately caught in a web of mystery, murder and high-octane action.
Sexy and provocative, with a dark twist on the spy genre, this EXTRA-LENGTH first issue by two of the industry’s best-selling creators will knock you out!
Who would kill the world’s best secret agent? There are only a couple of possibilities, but Velvet Templeton, who now fills an administrative spot at a highly secret spy agency, gets a major case of cognitive dissonance when a suspect comes to light. She has to know for herself, and that means getting out into the field.
Right from the get-go, though, we’re given plenty of reasons to suspect and doubt Velvet Templeton, and her elliptical and allusive first-person narration is susceptible to a variety of readings. She’s an outsider on two counts – a woman, and retired from the field – and these factors add up to a unique arsenal of experiences and a compelling perspective.
And while we’re not given complete access to either – again, the narration doesn’t give us much to go on – we see Velvet move seamlessly between contrasting roles, and are thus confronted with her multifaceted nature without knowing what her endgame is. It’s a thoroughly intriguing approach: we’re impressed by her capabilities, but remain in the dark as to her motivations. Should we really be rooting for this formidable character?
The only part of the issue that doesn’t quite work is the ending, which involves experienced field agents not noticing a pretty obvious detail and shooting a whole room to rags before they do see it. It’s one of those necessary little oversights that feel like they’re slipped in so that the issue can end on an action scene, and as such, disrupts the credibility of the narrative. Otherwise, the pacing of this tale keeps up with the concept, with each scene flowing organically from the one before it. We’re following Velvet’s lead, and she certainly seems to know where she’s going.
Steve Epting’s art succeeds on all counts, getting our attention right away with the portrayal of Velvet. Unlike the young and springy assassins we’re used to seeing, Velvet is an older character who’s been through a lot, and Epting gets across this depth of experience by working all kinds of weary and knowing little subtleties into her expressions. It’s all set into relief by her obvious athleticism, which comes across during the elegantly staged but viscerally compelling action scenes. While her narration demands that we read between the lines, Velvet herself completely defies analysis, pretty much epitomizing the enigmatic, unreliable lead.
The theme is carried over into the other characters, who are a slightly less interesting bunch but still manage to feel real and emotional and weighty when they could easily have been placeholders. The backgrounds, meanwhile, are understated and thoroughly moody. This is espionage, not noir, so we’ve got expansive cityscapes as well as claustrophobic interiors, all worked into interesting and varied compositions. Epting knows where to direct the eye, and keeps the storytelling clear but stylish through sparing use of detail.
Elizabeth Breitweiser’s colours keep with the understated theme, employing muted tones. This story is all about the nighttime scenes, and the sodium glow of streetlights, as well as the slow palette shift from sunset to twilight, come across beautifully.
What else is there to be said? Velvet is a hell of an arresting personality negotiating a deadly and complicated landscape. There’s no telling where she’s going next, but good lord does this reviewer want to find out.
Final Verdict: 9.0 – Buy
