You may have noticed Brubaker making the rounds this week talking up Sleeper, with interviews with Rich Johnston, Steven Grant and Matt Brady across three comics sites. You may have noticed positive reviews from myself and many others. You may have heard that despite relatively low sales, DC has committed to a trade of the series. We're all working as hard as we can to get you to read this book, people, because it's just that good. Even ten issues in, Sleeper can still surprise me, and it's clear that Brubaker has plenty to say while playing around in the morally ambiguous sandbox of a federal agent undercover in a powerful villainous conspiracy. While there's a consistency of tone (dark) and talent (excellent) across Sleeper, that consistency never equals boring, and once again, this is an issue that you can pick up and enjoy whether you've been reading the series or not.
One of the things that struck me about this issue, especially after realizing it somewhat from the last, is that Brubaker really is writing the lost art of single issues with this series. Oh, sure, there's a developing story and characters, and the events will resonate more if you've read all of the issues, but really, the entirety of this issue's story begins and ends in this issue. A radical concept in these days of story arcs and pacing for the trade, but there you go. This issue tells a complete story, and happens to include some strong character development and powerful action in the course of that story.
It also includes some fairly major shit happening to our lead characters. Brubaker has turned Genocide, a supporting character and friend of lead character Holden Carver, into a terrific character. He's great dark humor relief, as when he spent a few panels last issue throwing darts at someone because they dared to interrupt his game with a friendly hello. He's an interesting beer and pretzels type guy, who doesn't have to deal with the complexities that Carver does but who can still relate to him on a sort of basic, uncomplicated level as a result. This issue reveals a lot more about the depth of this character, as we get his origin story (using a clever little "super-villain tradition" introduced earlier in the series by Brubaker) which is just relentlessly heart-wrenching and makes the guy sympathetic despite his hair-trigger homicidal tendencies. And then there's a shocking development with Genocide that... well, I don't want to spoil it, but... Jesus Christ! I never saw that coming!
This issue also includes a little more fleshing out of the relationship between Carver and fellow super-villain Miss Misery. There are so many lines being crossed, as an undercover agent has become involved in a real relationship with someone on the opposite side, and Misery has a similar problem in that her genuine feelings for what was meant to be a fling are causing her problems. It's a complex and fascinating relationship, and it adds another layer to the trouble that Carver is in.
Then there's the artwork by Sean Phillips, which also continues to dazzle. Part of the strength of Sleeper is that you feel like these guys are bad guys, and so there has to be an element of carnage and murder to the work. Misery's sheer glee and glowing countenance as she engages in murder is a chilling display of her nature, and the bloody nature of the injuries shown on the opening page and closing sequence gives you a sense of what has happened to the characters as well. Phillips also shows plenty of flexibility, notably with a more innocent style for Genocide's origin that slowly but surely gains a gritty, corrupted element until we see his transformation from previous identity to new, murderous one.
