A quick scan of Previews a couple of months or so back turned my attention to this book. It wasn't so much the spectacular array of talent involved in its production, but the low cover price. It was a slick marketing move, and I hope others took notice of this book as well. New publoshers and studios turn up in the industry every month, but Desperado Publishing has a lot going for it that will help it stand out in the crowd. It seems they're offering a nice diversity of material, crafted by some of the top names in comics. I hope they find an audience.
Tony Harris's Roundeye property is something that seems quite familiar; I think perhaps I caught a glimpse of it on the Jolly Roger studio website a while back. On the surface, it seems like a pirate property, but it's actually got a lot more in common with The Last Samurai. It's about a white man, a warrior, making a life for himself in an ancient Asian culture in which he is a completely alien element. Harris doesn't offer much in the way of plot here, but it seems as though the property could be described as something like Conan with a romantic heart. What is clear is this: this is some of Tony Harris's finest art, and given his track record, that's really saying something. There's a softer, more natural look to the linework here than what we've seen from Harris before. The art is meticulous, but detail never threatens to overwhelm it either.
Marz and Peterson's World Traveler embraces the notion of rogue hero of the pulp era. The hero is Indiana Jones and Adam Strange rolled up into one package. There's definitely a charm to the character, but again, this short segment doesn't offer much in terms of plot. It's big on personality, though. Peterson's art didn't click for me as well as it has in the past. His work here looks like a cross between the styles of Leinil Francis Yu (good) and Rob Liefeld (bad). Detail does overwhelm the storytelling in this instance.
Paul Jenkins's piece at the end is definitely reminscent of Sin City. It's not just the black-and-white art with splashes of red thrown in, but the overall tone of the characters and dialogue. Frank Miller's are far more raw, though. I love how Jenkins uses multiple artists to bring brief glimpses of other people's lives to life. It doesn't come off as jarring at all. Rather, the shifts in visual style add a lot to the segment.
The cover makes this book seem like something it isn't, and that's unfortunate. One would think the array of talent would be a strong enough draw so that a cheap piece of cheesecake wouldn't be necessary. What the cover does have going for it is this: the price. This comic is cheap enough that those who wouldn't ordinarily give it a second look might be lured in. I just hope enough people are aware of this sample special so that fans start talking about what Desperado has to offer. 8/10
