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DECOY: STORM OF THE CENTURY #2
Recommended (7/10)
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Penny-Farthing Press
"Part 2 of 4: Make That Face, and It'll Get Stuck Like That"
Writer: Buddy Scalera
Pencils: Courtney Huddleston
Inks: Mostafa Moussa
Colors: Mike Garcia
Letters: Comicraft
Editor: Michelle Harman
"Origin, Part II"
Writer: Michelle Harman
Pencils: Pablo Villalobos
Inks: Victor Llamas
Colors: Mike Garcia
Price: $2.95 US/$4.60 CAN |
This limited series defies description. It's a bit of sci-fi, a bit comedy, a bit adventure and a bit slice-of-life. Somehow, the creators manage to make it all work as one unit, though. I'm surprised that Huddleston, the title character's creator, handed the reins over to another writer, and I'm pleased to see that it worked out.
As Bobby Luck and the other members of the Dolphin City police force deal with an overwhelming storm that's flooding the city, Luck's alien pal, Decoy, has begun a strange transformation. He's shifting in color from green to red, and with the change in hue comes a change in attitude. Two Kranch aliens are monitoring the situation should it turn dangerous, while a mysterious scientist with his own agenda seeks to add Decoy to his... collection.
I first sampled Huddleston's art in the sort-of black-and-white pages of the recently released Herobear and the Kid & Decoy: Field Trip #1. The artwork is even more impressive in full color. The lightness of the pencils suits the title character, while Garcia's dark colors bring out the more grave elements of the story nicely.
The smartest move here was the decision to use a huge storm as the backdrop for this story about Decoy's transformation into a far less friendly lifeform. The storm offers the conflict that the human characters -- Bobby and Tessa -- must contend with, giving this odd but entertaining story a more grounded feel. I'm also pleased to find that although this is a second issue of the title character's second limited series, I had no problem picking up on the story. I missed the first issue, but it was easy to pick up on the relevant information. Readers new to the world of Decoy will have no trouble with this book either.
This issue also features a backup story that explores the relationship between Decoy's race and the Kranch. It boasts remarkably detailed illustration -- I'm put in mind of Phil (Wonder Woman) Jimenez and Ethan (New X-Men) Van Sciver. The story, though cute, is a pretty familiar one as well. It didn't really hold my attention, but did give the main story a little more context, bolstering its accessibility.
Ultimately, the mix of humor, the conspiracy-theory tone and the mystery of Decoy's metamorphosis makes for a layered, quirky and fun read.
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