It’s the return of the masters of noir as we delve deeper into the world of Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting’s “Velvet”. We’ve seen her return to the field and be hunted by the very people she worked with, but now Velvet must dive right back into the world of espionage.
Written by Ed Brubaker
Illustrated by Steve Epting
You all know the story: a beautiful woman seduced by a secret agent into revealing secrets and helping him on his mission…but what happens to them once the agent is gone? Find out in issue three, as Velvet tracks Agent X-14’s most recent asset down very dark paths.
It should have been no surprise that a series written by Ed Brubaker and drawn by Steve Epting focusing on an international espionage mystery was well received. Actually, it wasn’t a surprise at all. Yet what was comforting to see was that Brubaker was in no way resting on his laurels from the success of “Fatale” and crafted a genuinely exciting and intriguing introduction to a mystery that fully utilised that artistic talents of Steve Epting. Not only that, but they managed to subtly subvert a number expectations of the genre without breaking the flow of the narrative or even parading them around, really. They just let them work and play out within the confines of the story they are telling, which is commendable especially in an industry noted for how much of it’s PR equates to yelling about how different you are.
When I approached this series, I was hesitebt that it would be more of the same, both in terms of Brubaker’s writing and the overall genre Brubaker is working within. Thankfully, Brubaker hasn’t lost his touch. Much of “Velvet” seems to take a number of conventions of the international spy thriller genre and turn them on their head. For one, instead of following a devil may care secret agent on his globetrotting missions, we find Velvet, a middle-aged secretary in the first issue, as a woman who did all the globetrotting mission stuff close to twenty years ago and is now on a mission much more personal to her. This is the kind of story you’d probably find in the fourth or fifth film in a spy franchise yet Brubaker and Spring opened with it. This allows them to create a twenty year pool of secrets to draw from to confront Velvet with in the present. It’s practically genius.
Yet not only did Ed Brubaker put his all into making “Velvet” unique in concept, much of the enjoyment in reading this issue actually comes from the strength of the character interactions. While Velvet was mostly riding solo in the last couple issues, we actually get to see her interact with Burke, a rather badass smuggler, in this issue. It allows Brubaker to not only showcase Velvet’s history, but also the fact that this is a very British story. Even though this issue takes place almost entirely in Vienna, it is crystal clear through only Brubaker’s use of dialogue that Velvet and Burke are British and he uses that to layer and present characterisation. It is masterful work and makes for such enjoyable reading.
The writing isn’t the only thing that makes for such enjoyable reading, though. Steve Epting and Ed Brubaker are frequent collaborators and it really shows as they seem to operate on the exact same wavelength. Epting’s art is incredibly dramatic, using a lot of shadows, as well as incredibly realistic which helps convey the realism Brubaker’s writing. If this were film, it would be the kind of thing people would praise David Fincher for. Though, for as drenched in realism as Epting’s art is, it doesn’t mean it has to be boring. Velvet’s break-in to the prison that opens the issue shows how simply and effectively Epting can convey just how deadly and how skilled she is in just two pages. Even in simple dialogue scenes, which usually have to carry stories like these, Epting never fails to entertain and engage the reader with characters’ body language and facial expressions.
Epting’s art on this issue simply would not be as stellar as it is without the use of Elizabeth Breitweiser’s colors. Her use of a muted, pastel palette subtly offsets Epting’s use of shadows to create a rich and deep atmosphere. This could so easily be a book awash in grays and browns that don’t stand out against the heavy inks, but thanks to Breitweiser there is such a depth to the color art that this book would not be the same without her.
Overall, this is the third solid issue in a row from the “Velvet” crew. While it’s still early days and there’s not much to talk about with the slowly building mystery as very little has actually been revealed, the fact that it’s still engaging and enjoyable is a testament to the talents on display. Brubaker’s subversions of the genre have allowed for an incredibly interesting and complex lead character with a past only briefly touched on that could keep generating stories for years to come. Coupling that with the strength of the character interactions and dialogue and it makes her a joy to read. Then, adding the gorgeous art of both Steve Epting and Elizabeth Breitweiser on top of that makes this a series you really don’t want to be missing.
Final Verdict: 8.0 – You should be buying this series.
