It's been a long road for this title, and the question many potential readers are likely asking is: is it worth the wait? Well, I'd be lying if I said this was a Dark Knight Returns or Maus for the 21st century. To be honest, the book has a number of problems, and I suspect revisions in the face of developments in Iraq could be linked to one or more of them. But in their debut efforts, both writer and artist show a good deal of potential as well. Some of that potential is hampered by somewhat rough production qualities, though. Phantom Jack is entertaining, but like the title character, it's not entirely clear or easy to follow either. The book is of interest, I suppose, primarily as an industry curiosity, and it's not entirely disappointing given that context.
Jack Baxter is a journalist pretty much without equal, and his efforts led him at one point to pre-war Iraq in 2002. A friendly cabbie serves as his guide, but while touring Baghdad, Jack witnesses a horror he feels powerless to prevent. The tragedy haunts him, even though it brings him professional accolades and respect. There's a reason Jack's so good at his job, that he's able to get in the middle of the action without risking a hair on his head. Jack has kept his secret his whole life, and the death of a good man forces him to rethink his priorities, to re-evaluate the manner in which he's employed a special gift.
Breitweiser's art boasts a painted look and endeavors toward a realistic though haunted look overall. To be honest, it reminds me a little of John (Planetary) Cassaday's work. It's nowhere nearly as polished as his style, though, and there are some inconsistencies in the characters. Furthermore, some of the characters -- chiefly, those who aren't white -- look far too much alike. The action doesn't always unfold clearly either, and transitions from scene to scene can be confusing. The colors bring an appropriately dark and mature mood to the story.
There's something of an Astro City feel to the property, given that the title character is a regular guy with powers who has no costume or anything. Still, his guilt and aspirations to be a do-gooder do boast something of a conventional super-hero tone. I really do enjoy the notion that Jack doesn't just get the powers suddenly, that they've always been around in some capacity in his life.
San Giacomo needs a bit of help when it comes to the script. We only get part of some conversations. We never get a clear picture of what's happening or what has happened. Why the writer hides the cabbie's ultimate fate puzzles me; revealing his grisly demise probably would have reinforced its impact on Jack. Furthermore, the scene in the park and the subsequent, seemingly contradictory newspaper headline left me scratching my head. Was Jack imagining the encounter, dreaming of being a better man? Or does he learn his efforts are for naught? Questions such as these eclipsed the inherent strength of the premise.
