Well, Dusk’s personal story arc for this series sure doesn’t go anywhere expected. Maybe it’s because McGregor didn’t set him up for enough development or maybe it’s because almost a fourth of the double-sized issue is wasted on a poorly paced resolution to last issue’s cliffhanger.

The issue has good art, even during that lengthy opening, but it’s just a bunch of action scenes strung together. The final one, involving Dusk playing Indiana Jones doesn’t even feel like the same comic. McGregor’s rushing to get in all his period detail and not worried enough about the story itself.

There are no supporting characters in this final issue. No one who’s appeared before makes any impression, not on the plot, not on the protagonist. If it weren’t for McGregor’s competence and the still good art from Colan, things would have been a lot worse.

It’s a shame Dusk’s finale disappoints.

B- 

CREDITS

Apple Peddlers Die at Noon, Part Four; writer and editor, Don McGregor; artist, Gene Colan; colorist, Tom Zuiko; letterer, John Costanza; publisher, DC Comics.

McGregor gets to a lot of revelations this issue. Well, more like two. But they’re big ones. One involves the case, one involves Dusk’s involvement with his dead girlfriend’s kids. The case one is particularly interesting because McGregor does it without much emotion. McGregor isn’t unenthusiastic, he’s just measured–both for the comic (it’s not the big reveal) and for the character. This type of thing isn’t something to get Dusk emotional. He’s disconnected from it.

However, there’s one plot point full of emotion for Dusk and McGregor does explore that point much more thoroughly. McGregor gets a lot of mileage out of the hard boiled private investigator thing. He never throws too many contrary details in, just enough to make the character compelling.

This issue, very gently, even brings attention to New York density versus something like L.A. openness.

It’s a fantastic issue. McGregor and Colan do great work.

A

CREDITS

Apple Peddlers Die at Noon, Part Three; writer and editor, Don McGregor; artist, Gene Colan; colorist, Tom Zuiko; letterer, John Costanza; publisher, DC Comics.

The second issue has a lot of action. The issues are double-sized and McGregor plots them quite well. There are three, maybe four, big action sequences in this one, along with a bunch of scenes involving the case itself, but there’s still time for the character work. McGregor always makes sure to work some of it into the investigation-related scenes too.

Even with all the character work, McGregor hasn’t hinted how the Dusk character is going to progress during this story. It’s set in the same year as the previous series, something I hadn’t realized until it came up in dialogue, so measured changes are fine. But there ought to be some change… and the only place I can guess is the easiest place.

I’ll have to wait and see.

The art’s stunning once again, those Zuiko skies are gorgeous.

McGregor and Colan are making good comics here.

B+ 

CREDITS

Apple Peddlers Die at Noon, Part Two; writer and editor, Don McGregor; artist, Gene Colan; colorist, Tom Zuiko; letterer, John Costanza; publisher, DC Comics.

For Nathaniel Dusk II, Gene Colan’s pencils go without inks. However, they go with Tom Ziuko’s colors. Ziuko’s a familiar name as a colorist but I was still a little surprised with his work here. He takes Colan’s pencils and turns them into a painted comic. The colors are muted, but still lush. There are some fabulous skies in this one and Colan probably only contributed the cloud outlines.

Don McGregor’s script is excellent. He starts out with the finish of one of titular private investigator Dusk’s cases, then gradually introduces not just the series’s case, but also plays catchup. Not so much has happened since the last series, just enough. McGregor carefully makes the issue accessible for new readers while still rewarding returning ones.

The attention to detail–1934 Manhattan–is fabulous.

McGregor occasionally gets a little too enthusiastic with that detail, but the art picks up any slack.

A- 

CREDITS

Apple Peddlers Die at Noon, Part One; writer and editor, Don McGregor; artist, Gene Colan; colorist, Tom Zuiko; letterer, John Costanza; publisher, DC Comics.

Dusk is a good comic and all and McGregor does good with it and all but I’m shocked he could pull this issue off.

He resolves a drowning cliffhanger, he corrects his plotting problem from last issue very obviously (Dusk actually investigating), he has two or three major action sequences, he has a hallucination and he has an epilogue.

And it’s all fantastic. Even that leftover scene with Dusk’s interview for his investigation, even it works.

McGregor changes up the emphasis a little the issue. These scenes work because of the characters. McGregor has been gently establishing them, both in scene and in Dusk’s narration, and he uses that familiarity to make his scenes work here.

Colan’s art is fantastic. The way he can do a big scene in two pages, but then slow down for an action layout where only a few seconds pass on the page.

Outstanding work.

A 

CREDITS

Lovers Die at Dusk, Part Four; writer, Don McGregor; artist, Gene Colan; colorist, Tom Zuiko; letterer, John Costanza; editor, Alan Gold; publisher, DC Comics.

How do you have a private eye comic without a mystery? This issue of Dusk is the perfect example of such a thing. Now, Chandler didn’t always have the most intricately laid mysteries–the investigation mattered. And McGregor has gotten to that point in this mystery. The investigation is the thing. Only, it’s not particularly compelling.

McGregor is very serious about the setting and he’s got some great details for thirties New York. He even sets the series during a cab strike, which figures into an action sequence. Hopefully it’ll figure into the story at some point and not just a set piece. All the pieces are here, all are beautifully constructed, they just aren’t doing much special.

It might just be the medium. Comics lend towards action or dialogue. A detective story needs moments of quiet introspection, it needs thinking.

Still, it’s a good comic with some great art.

B 

CREDITS

Lovers Die at Dusk, Part Three; writer, Don McGregor; artist, Gene Colan; colorist, Tom Zuiko; letterer, John Costanza; editor, Alan Gold; publisher, DC Comics.

It’s a fast issue, which is strange given there’s so much exposition. McGregor really gets into the private eye running monologue thing. It could go either way–and he does get long-winded during the action sequences (Colan’s pencils can handle them on their own)–but it works out by the end. McGregor writes Dusk really, really well and gives him a number of things to deal with.

There’s the big thing–the inciting tragedy to motivate Dusk for the rest of the issue (and presumably series)–but the little details are far more interesting. Dusk trying to relate to his girlfriend’s kid, Dusk realizing it’s the girlfriend who taught him a thing or two in the sack–those two are the most salient because they haunt the character throughout the issue, even in the big action scenes.

It’s an excellent, if wordy, comic.

The beautiful artwork from Colan continues.

B+ 

CREDITS

Lovers Die at Dusk, Part Two; writer, Don McGregor; artist, Gene Colan; colorist, Tom Ziuko; letterer, John Costanza; editor, Alan Gold; publisher, DC Comics.

There are no inks on Gene Colan’s pencils in Nathaniel Dusk. It’s pencils and color. To. Ziuko uses really bright colors too, often it’ll just be a single color across objects. Colan’s not too concerned about universal detail.

Don McGregor is clearly a fan of detective novels. He puts a lot of time into the lead’s first person narrative. Probably too much work, since some conversations get cramped, but McGregor is definitely committed. He’s doing a grownup comic for a mainstream publisher in the eighties. It’s a crazy thing.

But it’s also a totally mediocre thing. Besides Dusk’s girlfriend having a couple kids while still being a femme fatale, there’s nothing to the story. There’s great mood and a lot of nice details, but the story just drags.

There are some great period set pieces and McGregor and Colan certainly get a bunch of credit, but who knows what’s next.

B 

CREDITS

Lovers Die at Dusk, Part One; writer, Don McGregor; artist, Gene Colan; colorist, Tom Ziuko; letterer, John Costanza; editor, Alan Gold; publisher, DC Comics.