One of my favorite things in comics is the talking gorilla, largely because it's so ridiculous just on the face of it but partly because of the long and storied history that gorillas have with comics. For Lash to include a gorilla in his book, which has plenty of appreciation for the history (both recent and further back) of comics is just right, and that this issue is where the puns most notably return is also a nice touch. Lash finishes up the book with a silent story, another favorite of mine, which features an unusual take on the "monster under the bed" story.
Lash is unashamed of his propensity for silly monkey and gorilla jokes, and it makes for a funny read in the lead story. The names of the witnesses and the references to common monkey sayings (there are more than you'd think) come fast and furious, at the same rate as the puns that used to fill the book. In addition, Lash has succeeded in creating an unsympathetic and yet interesting character in Mr. Gorillo, something I thought he didn't accomplish so well last issue with Mr. Negativity.
This is a good issue for the new reader, but the continuing reader may find it a little light on the subplots. Other than a brief exchange between Chase and Alanna, this is all about the case. While this does make the book accessible, I sometimes feel like the interesting subplots and characterization of this book are moving at a pretty glacial pace. On the other hand, the characters are well-established, and I find Byrd's slight wimpiness to contrast nicely with Wolff's hard-edged attitude and serve as a constant reminder of why they're partners.
Lash also experiments with storytelling this issue in both features. The lead feature includes a strange quirk in which the omniscient narrator fills in story elements whenever there's a thin silhouette panel, and though it made for strong transitions between scenes, I found that it kicked me out of the story whenever it occurred. More successful was the use of thought and speech pictograms in the "silent" story in the back, reminiscent of DC's Impulse and carrying the same sort of humor and storytelling value.
As always, Supernatural Law is a fun and accessible read, and an unusual subject matter that should appeal to those outside the comics "mainstream." Legal drama meets sitcom meets quirky horror/humor, all done up in an EC style.
