Lots of good spy stuff in Spy Seal this issue–including an awesome chase sequence–but it’s at the end where Tommaso hints at how much further the comic might go. It’s not just going to be spy tropes with anthropomorphic animals (the mouse agent is adorable), the plotting is going to be suspenseful and tricky. There’s also a great subplot about Malcolm falling for his mentor, a comely kestrel named Kes. And Tommaso’s thought bubble shorthand for getting information across–he just uses punctuation or ideograms–is fantastic. He’s able to keep up the comic’s pace while still filling out the narrative in each panel.
The Corten-Steel Phoenix; writer and artist, Rich Tommasi; publisher, Image Comics.
Spy Seal is about a seal–Malcolm, the seal’s name is Malcolm–who becomes a spy for MI:6. It’s set in Cold War London, with the Soviets trying to cause turmoil and only so many good guys up for the task. Turns out Malcolm is suited for it, although he only fought Soviet spies because he was drug to an art show (for the free food) when he should’ve been looking for a job.