Around Christmas time last year, I faced the choice of whether to buy a PS/2, Gamecube or X-Box. I went with the PS/2, because I desperately wanted Grand Theft Auto 3, and I've been pretty happy with my choices, as the games I really wanted have been on PS/2 and there have been relatively few on the other two systems that I've really missed. Then along comes this video game adaptation by Dark Horse, which has me wracking my brain trying to figure out if I have any friends who have an X-Box instead of a Gamecube or an X-Box. The Dead to Rights comic actually succeeds on its most important level, the marketing level, by making me want to play the game, but it does that by providing a surprisingly solid crime/action story with impressive artwork and an overall nice comic-book package.
I approached this comic with a certain bit of trepidation, because even though Dark Horse has a good track record with licensed comics, video game adaptations have generally failed to interest me, especially when they're based on video games I have little to no knowledge of. However, Kennedy, Paronzini and Emberlin really draw the reader into the bullet-ridden and blood-soaked world of Dead to Rights, and the introduction by senior producer Andre Emerson certainly gives an idea what to expect in terms of influences and tone.
When I opened this comic, I swear I thought I had a copy of 100 Bullets by mistake. Paronzini, Emberlin and colorist Dan Brown capture a style that is as inky, atmospheric and beautiful as that created by Eduardo Risso and Patricia Mulvihill on the DC crime/conspiracy series, and even if I had hated the story, I'd still be raving about the artwork. Paronzini uses the same craggy, distinguished faces that I see from Risso, and he has a similarly detailed approach to the backgrounds that set the mood as well. Emberlin and Brown help to set the style apart a little bit, as it isn't quite as dark and inky as Risso's and it has a warmer tone to it, taking place in the daylight as much as in the dank corners. And Paronzini does some absolutely spectacular action shots, somehow simulating not just the cinematic action that I infer is at the heart of Dead to Rights but simulating slow motion/bullet time as well.
While I enjoyed the artwork, though, I was just as surprised to see that it was in service to a fairly accessible and intriguing little crime story. To make another 100 Bullets comparison, Kennedy's characters don't have the same authenticity of dialogue that Azzarello's do, but the lead and his somewhat slimy boss are certainly well-realized enough, and the intricacies of crime and cops are played out well in the plot. Kennedy does rely a little bit on the Dead to Rights story at times, and when Jack Slate's off-panel actions (presumably from the game) interact with the lead character here there's a little potential for confusion, but a second reading cleared up most of what I was meant to read between the lines. In addition, I was pleased by how much backstory and information about the game plot Kennedy imparts through news reports, casual conversations and other expositional tools within the story without side-tracking the plot of this special at the same time.
The book closes out with some nice sketches from familiar industry names (Ryan Sook's was my favorite, but they're all good) and a lot of background sketches/development information about the game, and by the end of the book I was more than a little curious about the videogame. So not only did the creators deliver a satisfying done-in-one crime story for fans of that genre, they served up a great teaser for Dead to Rights as well, leaving me to wonder... anybody got an X-Box I can borrow? (Note: Readers have since informed me that Dead to Rights has come out for the PS/2... off to the rental place, I guess!)
