A whole different kind of premium in comic books, Deductible examines the life of a super-insurance claims adjuster.
Randy:
Some of the more successful super-hero books on the market are those that tweak the formula a little. Super-powers and cops mix and we get Powers. Mix them with Jerry Bruckheimer flicks and you get The Ultimates and The Authority. Chris Albrecht and Denise Sakaki may well be the first to mix super-powers with State Farm, though.
Don:
This is the sort of storytelling popularized by Kurt Busiek in Marvels and Astro City, filtering a world of wonder and super-heroes through the lens of some kind of real-life element. In this case, the creators use the notion of insurance in a city of super-heroes as the foundation. It's an occasionally fun story, but there seems to be a conflict between the inherent satirical potential of the premise and the creators' desire to tell a more suspenseful yarn.
Deductible #0
written by Chris Albrecht
illustrated by Denise Sakaki
Don:
Blake Kane is the best there is at what he does, and what he does isn't pretty. He's the man people call when things go wrong... or in case they might. He's an insurance claims adjuster specializing in superhuman activities. When heroes cause property damage, Kane checks out the scene when a claim is filed. And when a new member of Justice Inc. signs up, it's Kane who handles the insurance paperwork on behalf of the city's much-ballyhooed super-hero team. The newest recruit -- a young woman named Swoon -- is unlike any other hero Kane has ever encountered.
Randy:
Deductible gives off a vibe not unlike that of Powers or Astro City or one of those other "super-heroes from a different viewpoint" books. I was surprised to find that Albrecht's script doesn't really spend much time on the ins and outs of insuring super-heroes, but instead sort of sets up the more businesslike methods of super-hero operations in the world of Deductible in general. To some extent, I felt like a bit more of a focus on the workings of Force Field Insurance would have made the book stand out as a little more unique, but the business realities of a corporate super-team are entertaining as well.
Don:
I rather enjoyed that aspect of it and how the regular joe from an insurance company manages to fit in so easily in that radically different world. Actually, it's Blake's complete and utter lack of wonderment at the fantastic world and people around him that makes him an interesting character. Albrecht instills a certain mystique in Kane that makes him seem like much more than a simple paper-pusher.
Randy:
In tone, Deductible is somewhere between straight super-hero and comedy, and that tone does serve the book well. Albrecht's characters are regular guys and gals, whether they're working stiffs or super-heroes, and I thought there was a nice natural flow to his dialogue. In particular, the normal guy routine of Blake's alien co-worker Nathan was entertaining, if all-too-brief, and the back-and-forth between Catalyst and Blake hinted at a past together that I found intriguing as well.
Don:
Personally, the split between the comedic and dramatic tones in this story didn't work for me. At first, it seems as though the writer is poking fun at the super-hero genre and at the insurance industry, but then, he seems to deviate from that focus. The story shifts when Kane visits the Justice Inc. tower, taking on a more suspenseful and darker tone. The shift isn't a smooth one, and I can't really reconcile how the book opens with its cliffhanger ending.
Randy:
Sure, Deductible does have its flaws, notably that Albrecht doesn't really push his high concept in any ground-breaking directions. This story could be tweaked pretty easily to be a look at corporate super-heroes from the point-of-view of accountants, government liaisons, law-enforcement personnel or any other "regular guy" job. Granted, insurance claims adjusting isn't the most exciting of subject matter, but it was the notion of Albrecht overcoming that truism and doing some really innovative storytelling around a claims adjuster that drew me in. Instead, the story is largely focused on working life with a super-powered twist, an interesting concept but one that isn't as unique as the notion of super-hero insurers.
I was also a little disappointed on the art side of Deductible. Sakaki's artwork tells the story well enough, but the work is somewhat sketchy and amateurish. Certainly the characters aren't as expressive as they should be, and while Sakaki is capable enough with the blocking and the larger aspects of storytelling, the subtleties just aren't there. In a story that is focused on the normal, the artwork needs to be stronger in order to avoid the dreaded "talking heads" symptom, and I'm afraid Sakaki just isn't there.
Don:
I think you're being a little harsh, but you're right when you note that the art doesn't work here. I think it's more of a mismatch when it comes to style, though Sakaki is still clearly a developing artist. Her style reminds me of Sam (Zero Girl) Kieth's work a bit. There's a definitely an underground, minimalist quality in her work, and that's the problem. The genre here calls for something clearer, even more conventional. Sakaki's panel layout could use some work, though. And then there's the lettering. I applaud the creators for trying to use a different font and balloon motif for every character, but the frequent shifts in font are jarring.
Ultimately, Deductible is a flawed project, but it's an encouraging one as well. It's nice to see neophyte creative voices honing their skills in self-published efforts. One has to respect that need to be heard, that need to create and that need to participate in the comics industry, even if it's just in some small way.
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