Stev Gerber and co-writer Mary Skrenes pull off quite the trick with the first issue of this title relaunch. As the book opens, it's clear that the story begun in the first series is still ongoing; the writers throw their audience in the deep end, seemingly never missing a beat. But what about the potential to draw in new readers? Isn't this a misstep when one wants to draw in a new audience? It would be, yes, if it weren't the way the plot evolves naturally into a recap of the major story points up to this point. It never reads like pure exposition, though, as Gerber fleshes out the background further, introducing a new character. And just as collaboration doesn't seem to hurt the writing, giving artist Brian Hurtt an inker doesn't interfere with the visual strength he's brought to the title since its inception.
Another day brings another murder at State Penitentiary, and once again, Ethan Harrow witnesses the brutality while quietly and inconspicuously trying to do the right thing. His routine is interrupted by a visit from his lawyer, who's brought two justice activists with him to try to help to get Ethan's sentence reduced from 50 to life to a more appropriate term. Ethan goes over his story once again with the advocates, telling them what led him to join a friend in a high-school prank that turned quickly into a high-school shooting.
The opening splash page serves as an instant cue as to what the reader can expect within. The vision of a human form mangled by being thrust into an unnatural vessel is a literal symbol of the figurative conflict of Ethan's prison life. The level of detail Hurtt brings to bear here is impressive, so much so that I don't recall the visuals from the first series being so meticulous. It could be that working with an inker has allowed Hurtt to spend more time on the backgrounds. The setting is of paramount importance to this story, and the greater level of detail enhances it. I'm also pleased with how Hurtt continues to portray Ethan as being miniscule in stature as compared to the rest of the prison population. Ethan's confidence and cool head make him seem older than he is, so the visual reminder of his tender age is important. Loughridge's colors also reinforce the chilling, unnatural tone of the backdrop. The colorist's work here adds a great deal to the mood.
Gerber and Skrenes's incredible balance of accessibility and forward movement in the plot stands out as the greatest strength of this issue. The players are introduced clearly, but it never seems as though the script is overtly expositionary. The writers have come up with a perfect plot device to offer a lot of background information that makes sense in the context of the story.
The first issue of the first Hard Time series showed us the dramatic and foolish event that landed Ethan in prison, as well as the social fallout that was required to legitimize his fate. This issue's recap offers Gerber the chance to expand upon those events and explore the personal side of them all the more. That greater context adds to Ethan's character and gets new readers to empathize with him. 8/10
