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SHOT CALLERZ #2
Recommended (7/10)
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Oni Press
Writer: Gary Phillips
Artist: Brett Weldele
Letters: John Dranksi
Editor: James Lucas Jones
Price: $2.95 US/$4.50 CAN |
There are moments (fortunately, not often) when the action in this book is as sketchy as the art, but though the complex storyline is intriguing, it's not what's got me turning each page. Phillips is building this story around some vivid, well-developed characters, and Weldele gritty, almost scattered approach to the art here suits the street tone of the plot and players quite well.
When Nea spots a hooker shadowing her through West Hollywood, she quickly turns the situation to her advantage, gleaning some information about the guy who wanted her tailed. Meanwhile, Big Freight interrogates another hooker with the same pimp, hoping to get a lead on Nea. The pimp in question -- the elderly man known as Smooth -- is looking for Nea not because he wants money, but because he has an old debt to repay. Nea finds herself following the trail of bread crumbs from L.A. to Kentucky.
Weldele's almost hazy but razor-sharp approach to the art reinforces the urban edge of the script. Nea's youth and strength comes shining through in her face, just as Smooth's weathered visage hints at how tough, how tired and how inherently human he truly is. The interrogation scene was particularly interesting from a visual standpoint, as Weldele takes a less-is-more approach to the action. The scene is something like a puzzle; the art hints at what's going on, but it isn't until the last piece is put into place -- via the script -- that the power and shock of the scene really hits home. It adds to the tension and ugliness.
Smooth is a fascinating character. When one hears the term "pimp," the immediate image that comes to mind -- for me, anyway -- is a stereotype. But Phillips presents us with a real huma being in Smooth. He's got that street edge, but there's a fatherly quality to the character as well. He comes off as a protector, not an exploiter. Nea's savvy continues to impress, and I thought that both Cheri and Pineapple had genuine voices. Phillips takes the reader into their world, and for someone like me, it's a fascinating experience, like exploring a dangerous alien landscape.
Part of that exploration is Phillips's inclusion of street talk, most of which is pretty clear. But there are moments when the hip-hop speak and sketchy art combine to create some confusion. Freight's appearance at the airport at the end of the book was quite difficult to follow, for example.
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