I have read pretty much everything that Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips have published. Together they have produced some of the most compelling and well crafted crime/suspense stories of the past couple decades, sometimes melded with superhero tropes, supernatural tales, movie history, or even westerns. Of late, they have moved from producing monthly comic books to original graphic novels, and Reckless is the first of a series.
The titular star of this series is Ethan Reckless, an ex-student radical from the 1970s who has flamed out and taken up residence in a run-down movie theater and who takes on private cases for those he deems worthwhile. For a price. In this book, he runs into a woman from his past and is faced with a case that brings up lots of baggage. I know all of this seems cliche to those who relish a good pulp tale, but the way the story is executed and paced is pitch perfect.
The artwork clearly displays a love for the recent past, with accurate depictions of old locales and cars, as well as hairstyles and fashions. This book is homage not only to classic pulp authors like Donald Westlake and John D. MacDonald but also past decades. The coloring by Jacob Phillips resembles that of classic paperback covers, adding to the tone and timbre. I loved getting swept up in this story, and there were just enough twists and turns to keep me guessing. It's another winning piece of genre fiction from these masterful creators.
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| Even the exposition is interesting! |
All of the reviews I've read of this book have been glowing. Jake Owens wrote, "Reckless showcases all that the comic book/graphic novel genre is capable of. Exquisite art and skillful dialogue meet in a display of subtlety that weaves together and makes something much larger than the sum of its parts." Zac Owens called it "nearly perfect." Justin Harrison summed it up as "a damn compelling introduction to an intriguing anti-hero."
Reckless was published by Image Comics, and they offer a preview and more about the entire series here. It features violence, drug use, and sexual situations so it is suggested from readers mature enough to deal with those topics. And if you like this book, there are four subsequent sequels.
