This is one of those books where I've heard a lot about it, but it took me a while to finally get around to reading it. The danger there is that it has been so built up by the hype that it couldn't live up to expectations, but as it turns out, the first volume of Ruse is a fair amount of fun. Waid crafts some interesting characters in the arrogant Holmes-ian Simon Archard and in his long-suffering female partner, and an intriguing mystery in the machinations of Baroness Cross. There are some disappointments, including a seemingly incongruous with the setting battle of super-powered godlike beings, and especially the realization that Waid left the series shortly after he introduced Archard's fascinating opposite number, meaning that all this setup may not get its planned payoff, but overall this is a fun read with terrific artwork.
One place where Waid has always shined is his ability to define characters and write dialogue that snaps. Like Joss Whedon or Peter David, his dialogue isn't always completely natural, but it is often very funny, and usually it's easy to forgive the more theatrical elements since it is so entertaining. That's certainly the case with the almost over-the-top arrogance of Simon Archard or exasperation of Emma with him. The partnership between these two, reads like the kind of thing that Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant could have carried off in film, with a refreshingly new lack of romantic tension in the mix. Instead, the tension comes with Emma trying to get Archard to see past the mores of the time and realize that she is his partner, not just his assistant.
In fact, Emma is more than Archard's equal, she's his superior. That's because she has some sort of godlike power, a secret she keeps from Archard. Indeed, the first arc is as much Emma's story as it is Archard's, as only Emma is immediately aware of the power that the malicious Baroness Cross wields, or the interest she takes in Archard as a result. I have to be honest, the introduction of super-powers into the mix almost ruined the first arc for me, and it still feels out of place, but Waid cleverly uses Archard's analytical mind to provide rational explanations for the doings of Cross, so the powers element of it really does remain more or less in the background.
Still, I was much happier with the series when these fantastical elements dropped away, and we were introduced to Emma trying to solve a case on her own or, even better, Archard's nemesis Lightbourne. In fact, it's Lightbourne more than any other character who really draws my attention. Archard is obviously inspired by Sherlocke Holmes, and in the same way, Lightbourne is inspired by Professor Moriarty, one of the greatest master villains literature has known. Waid puts a clever twist on things, though, tying Lightbourne's past in to Archard, and given that Archard's arrogance far exceeds that which even Holmes is usually portrayed with, the notion of a villain who is his intellectual equal or superior is all the more delicious. In fact, I left this Traveler wanting to see the next one, because I assume that's where we see more of Lightbourne's story.
When Ruse came out, Waid's arrival at Crossgen was big news, one of only a few writers directing the titles. Crossgen was more famous for its artists, particularly nabbing a couple of high-profile DC guys like Greg Land and Butch Guice. Guice, of course, is the artist on Ruse, and just as with most of the other artists at Crossgen, his work took a step up from its already impressive level when he came to the company. His work here has a photorealistic edge without the stiffness that style can often have, and his designs of Victorian-era clothing and architecture bring the setting to life. He also has a flair for the slightly grotesque or moody, whether it's the maggots Archard uses on the case or the mist and rain-soaked streets during Emma's investigation, and he brings a lot of atmosphere to the work.
