Garth Ennis's one-shot about the unlikely notion of an average schlub taking out the entire lineup of the most powerful and ruthless super-hero team in the Wildstorm Universe spawns a four-issue mini-series. Ennis's extreme humor makes for an entertaining read that mocks the over-the-top super-hero property wonderfully. Once again, it's a rare treat to see Glenn Fabry illustrating an entire comic book, let alone a limited series, and his exaggerated, detailed style suits the tone of the script perfectly. When you come right down to it, though, what's enjoyable about this book is the average and likable personality of Kev, the regular guy who's thrown unwillingly into irregular circumstances.
Once again, former S.A.S. operative Kev Hawkins, while tring to live his life quietly in a dirty corner of England, finds himself set upon by people with old grudges, looking to get even with him for sins he committed in a past life for Queen and country. It seems his old life will never leave him be, and it's confirmed when he's summoned for a new mission. Meanwhile, several members of the Authority return from an other-dimensional diplomatic mission... one that saw them humiliated, mangled and beaten. Only the Midnighter and Apollo are left to save the world, but this latest threat -- one more powerful than the entire Authority combined -- requires a different approach.
Fabry's suits the harsh tone of the story here. Kev exists in a filthy and ugly place, and the artist captures that, and he does just as well in conveying the twisted end results of the antagonists' power. I also love how he demonstrates both on the cover and on the final page how the super-heroes dwarf the regular guy. The reactions in the characters' eyes remind me of the work of frequent Ennis collaborator Steve (Preacher) Dillon.
Anal sex, long division and grey matter stains... that's what this comic book is about. At least, that's what the humor is about. The opening action sequence sets the inventive yet low-brow tone of the humor throughout the issue. No one does this sort of thing better than Garth Ennis -- just see Preacher and The Pro for proof. Some of my favorite gags were the subtler ones, those nasty little things that he hints at with the dialogue as opposed to spelling them out overtly.
Kev Hawkins is a familiar figure here. I don't mean that we've encountered the character before, but that he's the sort of guy we've known. He's the kind of pal us guys have all had, but not anymore. He's the drinking buddy we had when we were in our 20s, the one who was rough around the edges and therein was his charm. We envied that guy and we pitied him. He had the best and worst luck at the same time. He's the one we lost touch with after a time, because he didn't change, didn't grow up, whereas we did.
