Van Meach, the hero of The Interman, has the ability to adapt and do things no one else can. In that respect, he takes after his creator, Jeff Parker, who has done quite a few things no one else can with this book. A full-color original graphic novel set in the adventure/espionage genre is something that even the big companies haven't really been able to produce, especially at a price this affordable, and given the high expectations that I had for the book, I'm quite impressed that Parker managed to live up to them. The Interman is a globe-trotting action adventure, but it's also the introduction of a new character, and it is my hope that we'll be seeing more of him.
One of the surprise hits of last year was The Bourne Identity, a spy thriller which followed one man as he attempted to escape his past, represented by a variety of bad guys with a conspiratorial bent. The Interman bears some resemblance to this general plot, with a few key differences. For one thing, the lead character of The Interman has some abilities which can only be classified as superhuman, and for another, his past goes back to his birth rather than his training. Seeing Meach try to cope with being perfect for a world of killing and lying to others, even as his personality rebels at the notion, makes for some of the strongest moments in this story.
In addition, there's a strong core of characterization to this book beyond just Meach. Whether it's guest players in different locations like the various killers or Rajani or more crucial supporting characters like Outcult or Keele, each character is given more than just a facial tic or a codename to identify them. It's clear that Parker builds these characters for more than just their role in the story, even when that role ends in their death, and the unique personalities and approaches of the various assassins make for exciting personalities to go with the action. In addition, seeing some of those more deeply involved in this world of murder and espionage like May and Outcult helps not only to contrast Meach's personality, but provides a glimpse at the directions in which his life could have taken him.
I'd be lying, however, if I didn't say that my favorite moments in the story come from Parker's gift for action. The chase and fight scene in Cyclades, the swordfight in the Tower of London and the first encounter/escape with The Compass all stand as testament to Parker's storytelling abilities. My absolute favorite, though, comes in the rematch of Meach and The Compass, which really is the climax of the book in terms of the highest level of action. A long jump that uses a variety of perspectives to convey the amazing nature of the stunt sets the stage, and a simply amazing use of static sequential pictures to present a fast-paced battle of two exquisite martial arts concludes the sequence with one of the more stunning fight scenes I've seen done in comics.
Parker's art style is hard to describe, but it reminds me of Steve Lieber (even on the sections where he didn't assist), Mike Avon Oeming and Tony Harris among others. He's got a strong grasp of anatomy, a dynamic staging ability and some wonderfully moody shadows and atmosphere, and he tops the whole thing off with top-notch color. I don't know if The Interman was fully painted, but it wouldn't surprise me. The look is reminiscent of the similarly visually lush Hawaiian Dick, which was in fact computer colored, and so I suppose that's a possibility as well. However Parker and those who helped him out did it, the end results are beautiful to look at.
The Interman is the introduction of an impressive new talent to the comics industry, making in a splash in a very unusual way and in an underserved genre in modern comics.
