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7 GUYS OF JUSTICE #10
"Pass Il Duce to the Left Hand Side"
Mildly Recommended (6/10)
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False Idol Studios
Writer: Brian Joines
Artist: Joshua Rowe
Letters: Michael Thomas
Price: $2.00 US |
It's probably not the greatest idea to start a comedy book off with a funeral. Though 7 Guys is funny this month, I didn't find this issue as entertaining as usual. In fairness, however, the tradeoff for less humor is that the book is getting further away from its Tick-inspired roots, and all of the characters are
developing more original and distinctive personalities. Joines still sticks with
some of the classic hero cliches, using them for parody, but the book is
definitely finding its own voice. Also continuing to find his voice is artist
Joshua Rowe, who improves with every issue, this one being no exception.
7 Guys of Justice is a humor book that takes off on super-heroes, but it's
very close to playing it straight at times. The subplots, the serious threats
posed by the villains, even the death of heroes gives it a feel of being more
serious than simply done for stupid laughs. It's a mixed blessing, quite
honestly, because while grounding the series in more serious plots makes the
occasional laughs funnier, super-hero books are a dime a dozen, and good humor
books are few and far between. The wait between laughs, while moving through
familiar super-heroic territory, is often a bit long.
This isn't to say there aren't
some really good laughs in this issue, though. I enjoyed Talon and Earl giving
in to Internet pressure and having their own "Who'd Win?" and the scenes of the
gang heading down to blow Nightie Knight's secret identity were hilarious. In
addition, the revelation of the villain behind the plot (and his consternation
with always being confused with Hitler) was pretty nifty.
Actually, the villainous
versions of some of the heroes served as one of the most striking visuals in the
book, a clever bit of design on Rowe's part. Rowe's work on the book has gotten
better with each issue, and I am particularly appreciating his use of gray tones
in this latest issue. I still find his faces and bodies a little too stylized,
and I think he needs to find a better balance between having a style and
delivering more solid anatomy and facial expressions, but his storytelling is
really improving. There are some nice choices of camera angles in this issue,
and the positioning of characters is used to good effect to express emotions.
I must confess that I'm finding 7 Guys a little intricate at times,
especially for a self-confessed light humor book. The many characters and
subplots feel very much like a traditional super-book, and I'm not at all sure
what many of the subplots are. A "What has Gone Before" page or trade paperback
edition of earlier issues would seem to be called for if the creators are going
to adopt this style of storytelling.
Despite my misgivings about this issue, 7 Guys of Justice remains an entertaining
and well-executed read. There are some really funny moments, some interesting
characters and a clear devotion to the book from the creators.
Email Randy Lander comments about this review, or discuss it on the Fourth Rail message board. |
