Strange thing about this issue… I think Brubaker’s started worrying about whether or not Velvet is likable. He makes her sympathetic right off with her recap of the aftermath of the previous issue’s soft cliffhanger. She recounts having sympathy herself for the abused Russian wife.

More than that detail, her narration is very explanatory. There’s exposition here and there, a lot of background hints, but Brubaker’s now letting the reader into her head. She’s in the middle of a huge, contrived conspiracy and she’s the good guy. Why shouldn’t the reader like her?

The big moments in this issue revolve around some kind of carnival in Monaco. Lots of good costumes from Epting, followed by a great action sequence. Even the way Velvet narrates her action sequence makes her more sympathetic.

It’s good enough, but with the overused first person narration, Brubaker’s not letting Velvet surprise the reader much anymore.

I wanted this issue to be better. It’s decent, but Brubaker is moving things along quickly. He’s changing the narrative structure up, which is a little confusing, and Epting doesn’t really have any indicators to make it a seventies setting. I forgot it didn’t take place in the present until a line about Soviet Russia.

Brubaker’s confident and enthusiastic, which is great for him–who’d want to read a comic the writer isn’t jazzed writing–but it’s iffy for the reader. The series isn’t episodic, it needs some cohesion and a couple flashbacks don’t cut it here.

The story itself is simpler than it all appears. Velvet has a sidekick now–Burke, I think–but he doesn’t make much impression. Brubaker writes from Velvet’s perspective; none of the men are interesting, including her allies.

The lack of cohesion will probably lead to good, but not great, issues. Like this one.

I like this issue a lot more; I couldn’t figure out for a while, then I realized… it’s basically a lengthy Steve Epting action sequence. Velvet escapes, runs, escapes again. Brubaker juxtaposes her story against some guys at her agency talking about her. It’s great, fast but filling.

The only parts giving me pause are some of the stylistic choices for flashbacks and then the fictional super spy agency. Maybe for Epting to keep his schedule, the flashbacks, which took up at least two pages and showed single panels of Velvet’s illustrious career, are necessary. But they bring the issue to a screeching halt.

Second, the spy agency. It’s really made-up and leaves Brubaker open to do almost anything. He could hide aliens down the line in this thing. It gives the series a fake feel, while Epting does everything but convey that sense.

Still, it’s a good comic.

If I have to talk about Velvet in terms of good and bad, I don’t think I’ll enjoy the conversation very much. In this first issue, Ed Brubaker brings in one of his familiar tropes–the person with the secret, extraordinary past; one problem with writing a lot of comics, your standards become very, very obvious.

The title character, Velvet, seems to be a mild-mannered secretary at a super-secret spy agency who sleeps with all the agents before they go out on dangerous missions. The truth? Well, it’s not clear yet, but I’ll bet she was the greatest spy the agency ever had and now she’s fighting to save her colleagues, who all suspect her of a crime she hasn’t committed.

The period art–sixties and seventies–is quite good. Steve Epting obviously likes it a lot and his enthusiasm helps.

It’s a fine outing, just dangerously shallow.