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Best of the Week // Vs. The World

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The Awards

Velvet #1The book opens as you’d expect. The lights of Paris are gleaming as Jefferson Keller waltz’ through an operation, dressed impeccably well, completely unfazed by the violence he’s committing to other people. He’s a secret operative, suave and untouchable, women want to be with him and men want to be him – until, of course, he’s murdered on the streets, lonely, alone.

A gorgeous stylistic two page spread of Velvet follows, gun aimed expertly at an unseen assailant. This is something different. This will not be what you expect.

Ed Brubaker has been tearing through genre as of late. It began with the last arc of Criminal he had put together with Sean Phillips, where the pair plied a bit of seedy underbelly to the town of Riverdale – or at least a reasonable facsimile of the town and its residents. This continued through Fatale where the pair took the femme fatale archetype, and placed her within noir stories tinged with a creeping sense of horror. In the pages of Velvet, Brubaker is doing exactly what the opening scene implied: the debonaire operative is being shoved aside in favour of a “Girl Friday” or “Moneypenny” character, who is far more dangerous and interesting than she seems at first blush.

It’s something that Greg Rucka toyed with in a different way in the pages of Queen and Country. While the focus on that book is firmly on Tara Chase and her missions, Paul Crocker, the director of ops, pulls in a lot of screen time. Within moments, you can tell that his life in and out of the organization would be shambles if it wasn’t for his personal assistant Kate, who keeps Paul from imploding horribly. Velvet takes that idea even further, taking that capability and plying a heavy level of technical spy skill to the main character. It’s a neat trick that makes Velvet the most interesting character in any room she walks into. Questions run rampant. Why does she seem to have all the skills a special operative would have? If she’s just as good at their jobs as they are, why’s she “working the desk”? Did something happen to her, or is she perhaps working her own agenda against the organization? These thoughts all simmer in the background of this issue while the plot barrels along forward through some strange twists and turns. People play and are played in turn, and in the end… well, things don’t look good for our hero as the issue ends – but honestly, would we have it any other way?

The art displayed here by Steve Epting and Betty Breitweiser is some of the best I’ve seen from the pair. Breitweiser’s work has recently graced the pages of Fatale to great effect, and she continues to astound here, tweaking her style to fit the different story type and setting. Epting has always had a strong eye for intrigue, but he’s honestly turning in the work of his career with this issue. It could come down to the fact that he’s inking his own work. It could be the fact that he’s working on something that is really, truly his. Whatever the reason (probably a bit of both), the results are astounding. His line work is fantastic, whether rending facial expressions or action, and it’s all bolstered by the colour and the atmosphere created as they intertwine perfectly. It’s quite the sight to see.

One issue in, and I’m already onboard for whatever is to come. As such, we’re bestowing this title with our highly coveted Totally Spies Award, which might only be a thing in Canada. I know, I can’t remember. Hey, do I know how to end one of these recommendations, or what!


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