The issue’s a little drawn out as far as the script goes, but Reis’s art more than carries it along. And there’s some decent detective investigation exposition slash narration, with the detective recording his notes. But the soft cliffhanger’s weak. The writers take advantage of the medium.
The issue’s a little drawn out as far as the script goes, but Reis’s art more than carries it along. And there’s some decent detective investigation exposition slash narration, with the detective recording his notes. But the soft cliffhanger’s weak. The writers take advantage of the medium.
CREDITS
Writers, Kyle Higgins and Alec Siegel; artist, Rod Reis; letterer, Troy Peteri; editor, Matt Idelson; publisher, Image Comics.
Hadrian’s Wall opens with a paragraph explaining the setting–it’s set in an alternate future because it has an alternate past (the U.S. and U.S.S.R. nuked each other in 1985 so the future’s different)–but then it’s just a traditional future cop sci-fi thing. And it’s pretty good at it too. Writers Kyle Higgins and Alec Siegel just have one major mystery for the cop to solve–who killed his ex-wife’s new husband? Who she initially had an affair with, who got him fired, who shot him four times.
The protagonist is now a painkiller popping wreck of a man. Will he be able to unravel the mystery out in the stars–Hadrian’s Wall refers to the ship where there a limited number of suspects. And we already know someone isn’t what they seem.
Basically, it’s an excuse to look at some gorgeous artwork from Rod Reis. The dialogue is fine–it’s pulpy future cop stuff (and it’s hard to believe it didn’t start as a screenplay)–the characters are okay. The art on them is great. I mean, it’s not an ambitious book, it’s just a solid one.
Hadrian’s Wall opens with a paragraph explaining the setting–it’s set in an alternate future because it has an alternate past (the U.S. and U.S.S.R. nuked each other in 1985 so the future’s different)–but then it’s just a traditional future cop sci-fi thing. And it’s pretty good at it too. Writers Kyle Higgins and Alec Siegel just have one major mystery for the cop to solve–who killed his ex-wife’s new husband? Who she initially had an affair with, who got him fired, who shot him four times.
The protagonist is now a painkiller popping wreck of a man. Will he be able to unravel the mystery out in the stars–Hadrian’s Wall refers to the ship where there a limited number of suspects. And we already know someone isn’t what they seem.
Basically, it’s an excuse to look at some gorgeous artwork from Rod Reis. The dialogue is fine–it’s pulpy future cop stuff (and it’s hard to believe it didn’t start as a screenplay)–the characters are okay. The art on them is great. I mean, it’s not an ambitious book, it’s just a solid one.
CREDITS
Writers, Kyle Higgins and Alec Siegel; artist, Rod Reis; letterer, Troy Peteri; editor, Matt Idelson; publisher, Image Comics.
I guess C.O.W.L. is over. I really should be reading back matter, apparently, as I went through the issue with no idea it was wrapping up after just two arcs. Especially since the story’s weighted with an emphasis on the supporting cast and not the big plot. It seems like it’s a setup for whatever comes next.
Only nothing comes next.
Higgins and Siegel do all right with most of the issue. The last scene’s odd and a little lame and worse after realizing it’s the last scene in the series. But the rest of the comic has some good scenes and some excellent art from Reis. It’s amazing how he’s able to imply movement in his static, design-oriented work. Wish more people could.
C.O.W.L. never really hit its potential. Higgins and Siegel (and even Reis) developed over the run of the book. It just didn’t run long enough.
CREDITS
The Greater Good, Chapter Five: Coming to Terms; writers, Kyle Higgins and Alec Siegel; artist, Rod Reis; letterer, Troy Peteri; publisher, Image Comics.
It’s an okay issue of C.O.W.L.. Higgins and Siegel are doing a bridging issue. Most of the issue is either one person being threatened or another person threatening and so on. There’s some nice art from Reis on it, but it all feels very by the numbers.
The coolest thing has to be the supervillain who looks like Nosferatu and has minions. C.O.W.L. tends not to have particularly good villains (or heroes) when it comes to concepts; Reis rarely gets to do anything exciting. Nosferatu and company, though only in the comic for a couple pages, are pretty exciting.
As for the rest of the comic–with the picket line breaking superhero in the hospital and the police detective out for the truth–doesn’t really connect. Higgins and Siegel don’t have enough material; they present it well enough, however. C.O.W.L. is getting to be sturdy, even when it isn’t compelling.
CREDITS
The Greater Good, Chapter Four: Full Disclosure; writers, Kyle Higgins and Alec Siegel; artist, Rod Reis; letterer, Troy Peteri; publisher, Image Comics.
This issue of C.O.W.L. is an excellent bit of work from creators Higgins, Siegel and Reis. First off, Reis’s art really makes the issue. He gets to do talking heads and action, but he has a bunch of variety when it comes to the talking heads. The style fits the conversation and the players beautifully.
Since there’s so much talking heads, it’s important the conversations work and they do. Higgins and Siegel reveal quite a few things–like the murdered guy having a wise to the corruption wife; C.O.W.L. is nine issues in and the writers are still able to expand it naturally.
The sixties Chicago setting–whether in the politics or just the visuals–gets utilized quite well this issue too. It’s beginning to feel like natural. The comic has found a reliable groove.
I just realized–the lack of a frame really helps C.O.W.L.; it’s historical superhero fiction.
CREDITS
The Greater Good, Chapter Three: The High Ground; writers, Kyle Higgins and Alec Siegel; artist, Rod Reis; letterer, Troy Peteri; publisher, Image Comics.
There are some definite issues with Reis’s art here. The people don’t look right; he’s maybe trying a new style and it doesn’t take. Or maybe there are just too many people to draw. The issue is a lot of talking heads scenes, no real action besides the introduction of staged supervillains.
Higgins and Siegel spend a little time with every character, which leaves C.O.W.L. feeling like it’s in need of a protagonist, or at least someone to follow through all these scenes. Instead, it’s a lot of different people and the writers handle those scenes pretty well, but it feels like a collection of subplot scenes thrown into one issue.
Not even the cliffhanger, with the supervillains attacking, has much weight. It’s kind of a treading water issue, kind of not. The writers are good with their characters and Reis’s art is mostly strong. The issue just feels slight.
CREDITS
The Greater Good, Chapter Two: Doppler Shift; writers, Kyle Higgins and Alec Siegel; artist, Rod Reis; letterer, Troy Peteri; publisher, Image Comics.
The issue starts off a little rocky. Reis gets a big action sequence and it’s all style and no substance. Then Higgins and Siegel gradually ease the substance out of that scene as the rest of the comic progresses. Because they’re now introducing the supervillains, or what goes for a supervillain in C.O.W.L. and things are getting very interesting.
There’s a lot of subplot building, between the murdered union member, the union boss making a deal with the villains, the guy getting out of the hospital. There’s a lot–so much when there’s this thing with one of the regular superheroes and a cop talking, it’s just too much to track. But Higgins and Siegel keep it in line and constantly surprising.
And Reis gets another good action sequence.
Then the cliffhanger brings in a whole other issue, since it’s a reveal no one knows but the reader.
Very cool.
B+
CREDITS
The Greater Good, Chapter One: At the Brink; writers, Kyle Higgins and Alec Siegel; artist, Rod Reis; letterer, Troy Peteri; editor, Andy Schmidt; publisher, Image Comics.
It’s a decent enough issue–with Reis doing a lengthy Sienkiewicz-inspired action sequence–but it’s a little light.
C.O.W.L. is a hard-sell, which makes writers Higgins and Siegel’s accomplishments more significant, because it’s a comic book about a labor union and union politics and union negotiating. The superhero aspect of the comic doesn’t come into play much throughout the issue, with Higgins and Siegel saving it for the finale.
But even then it has a lot to do with the union and its problems.
Most of the art is highly stylized, but Reis never gets in the way of the story. He keeps the talking heads scenes visually interesting. Even with its problems, the issue is impressive. Higgins and Siegel find time for character scenes, they find time for conspiracies, they just don’t have enough A plot for the issue.
Slightness aside, it’s still perfectly good stuff.
CREDITS
Principles of Power, Chapter Five: Sacrifice; writers, Kyle Higgins and Alec Siegel; artist, Rod Reis; letterer, Troy Peteri; editor, Andy Schmidt; publisher, Image Comics.