As Point Blank continues, I'm surprised to see how immersed it is in Wildstorm continuity. Within the pages of this issue there are characters from and references to Gen 13, Backlash and of course Wildcats. While this makes for a read that may not be entirely accessible, it makes the book a can't-miss for those who enjoyed Casey's Wildcats or other "new wave" Wildstorm fare. Also, though knowing the characters will help make some of the scenes clearer or give them a bit more weight, the central plot, delving into murder investigations and the intricacies of intelligence work, is perfectly clear to even the novice Wildstorm reader.
Brubaker is taking full advantage of the dark and covert operations infested world that has been the hallmark of the Wildstorm world, telling a story that has one foot firmly in the spy genre, even when it has the other foot planted firmly in the super-hero genre. The flashbacks to military operations, the notions of loyalty to people you don't even like because they're one of the few people you can trust and the reminders that our protagonist can't really take anyone at face value in his business are as important as the psychic powers and cybernetics that help define the world.
While a series featuring Grifter from Wildcats is sure to contain some references to Team 7 or Wildcats continuity, I wasn't expecting Brubaker to play as heavily with the other characters in the Wildstorm universe. Lynch's son from Gen 13 shows up in a continuity-busting sequence (isn't he dead?), and Backlash of Stormwatch shows up to play the role of old war buddy and exposition machine for Cole. Given how much of the Wildstorm stuff I've either read or become familiar with, I can't fairly judge whether these characters make the book inaccessible at all, but my gut says that without any connection to these characters, there might be a little bit of confusion, and that's a shame, since I honestly don't think the style of Point Blank will appeal to your average Gen 13 or Backlash reader, who would be able to appreciate these guest stars.
However, while they may cause a few moments of "who the hell is that?" they certainly don't make the story hard to read. Brubaker has a fairly twisted tale of shifting loyalties, renegade black ops agencies inside of "authorized" black ops agencies and old friends and cases catching up to the present, but the story keeps the reader in the loop even as the mysteries deepen. The basics of the situation, and the hints as to who might have hit Lynch, are perfectly clear, even though the mission that got him started is still intentionally unclear to the reader. In addition, the central focus of the series, showing Grifter as a reluctant and not entirely competent investigator whose skills are best suited to shooting people at others' direction, makes for some great characterization and noir style narration.
Colin Wilson and colorist Janet Gale continue to provide the art, and I continue to want to like it more than I actually do. The amount of detail in the backgrounds is stunning, but I'm not as sold on Wilson's likenesses and characters, who look a little too rough for my tastes. It's sort of like Charlie Adlard's work, but with really loose inks. And Gale's colors are solid, but they have a tendency to blend together a bit too much, especially in the darker sequences.
