Filed under: Comic Reviews, Radical Publishing Comics | Tags: David Lapham, Frank, Henry, Jerry Choo, Kinsun Loh, Leonardo Manco, Radical Publishing, Sansan Saw
It’s no secret that the Comics Anonymous folks enjoy Damaged from Radical Publishing…..well strictly speaking….I have enough interest in this title for the whole gang…..so to get my hands on a 10-page preview of issue #5 is the kind of thing that makes me almost pee my pants…….that happens once I’ve read it.
Up to this point we’ve seen an outstanding story unfold and we pick up in issue #5 with Frank round at Jack’s house for dinner……following Frank retiring and passing Jack the reigns. Truth is that’s just the story on the surface…..the real story is weaved through the moments of every day life. We see Franks waitress girlfriend, Wendy, opening up to Jack and telling us at the same time that Franks still obsessed with catching his brother. I KNEW Frank wouldn’t retire quietly….WOOHOO…GO FRANK!, GO FRANK!
Again in issue #5 we drift from narrative to great pieces of dialogue giving us glimpses of the many different stories that are going on in this title. We get a look at the political side of Jack’s appointment and the next Mayoral candidate suggesting that bringing in Henry and Isaac before the election could be good for them both.
Back with Henry and Isaac, we see Isaac continuing his training but cracks starting to appear between the two…..Henry still has a sense of right and wrong…..Isaac is starting to slip into a more homicidal approach…pronouncing that his “New Law” is in place. To the point that a fight breaks out between the two…..unexpected but adding another twist in the story for us.
It then cuts to Frank following a cop and confronting him about his dodgy dealings…..and we fade out of the 10-page preview….thirsty for more and desperate to see how this penultimate issue plays out. Thankfully, (for my own sanity) I’ve read the whole issue…..about 10-times……and it just gets better and better. David Lapham had me hooked from issue #1 and I’ve been reeled in issue after issue and it’s all been backed up by Leonardo Manco’s art…….which I’d buy prints of for my walls. The details in the artwork are astounding – from the fine lines of Henry’s scars to the vast realism of downtown San Francisco and all with a fresh feeling to its well planned layouts. A special mention has to go to the colourists Kinsun Loh, Jerry Choo & Sansan Saw….who add colour to the neon lights, shadowy faces and gritty real-world held within the pages, only to draw us in even further.
It’s possible this could be just TOO good…….but I’m counting down the days until #6. If anything, I have just two gripes with the title – 1.It makes me realize how long a month ACTUALLY is and 2. it all finishes in the next issue. It’s been a long time since I’ve been a true “fanboy” when talking about a title……but if anything….this is the one for me…..the one I tell most people about…..and probably the one I’d hold onto in the vain hope of having it signed. If you can, get hold of these 5-issues…..and read them in time for that issue #6 coming out……you WON’T be disappointed…..and if you are…..we’ll send Henry round 😉
G-Man
Leave a Comment so far
Leave a comment
Comics Anonymous 