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Writer: Ryan K. Lindsay
Artist: Sami Kivela
Colorist: Lauren Affe
Letterer: Jim Campbell
Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
Noir stories tend to live and die with their twist and turns. The best can make it seem like they are setting you up for a certain twist only to completely shift focus into something else you did not see coming yet makes total sense. Deer Editor #2 has a twist that changes more than just the narrative.
Without spoiling what occurs it is a type of twist that pushes this entire comic into more genres than just a crime story. Although the protagonist of this story is a Deer so it was always a little bit off the normal path. I was not a fan of the decision.
TOP TEN OF THE WEEK!
Objectively it was handled well, but subjectively part of what I found appealing about this story was how it was a straightforward crime caper with a small twist. It is rare we get those types of stories.
The structure of this issue was quite intriguing. At first, it seems we are in an entirely different story as it shifts focus to another character Dan the assistant editor. His love life is on the rocks as his focus is on chasing his story. His chase leads him into a Gentlemen’s club where he hopes to solve two problems at the same time only to jump into a much bigger fire.
There are two issues of this series so far and what has worked best is its structure and ability to convey a great deal of information quickly. Opening on Dan’s fractured loved life instantly allows us to understand the struggles that exist.
PINE AND MERRIMAC!
A panel of him consumed with headlines demonstrates where his head is at, and now looking back many of those headlines clue us into the twist that is shortly approaching.
Sami Kivela has a knack for page structure. Point of view is constantly on the move to make every moment exciting and new. For example, during the banquet scene, we start with a wide shot to showcase the
transformation that is taking place, then move to an overhead view so we can have a complete picture of the chaos, and finally shift to a closeup on Dan to see the shock he is enduring.
Simple and smart storytelling from beginning to end. We understand the entire moment and the impact it is having on the characters.
When we finally shift back to Bucky I almost forgot he was part of the story. One shaky element was the time frame of this story. We are informed three months have passed by but that time frame does not appear to be weighing as heavy as it should on these characters. Bucky has to go through hell and those moments are brochure. It is simply that the time frame of his trials and tribulations never registers.
The final third of this issue was quite exciting. Bucky shows the beast he is and the lengths he is willing to go to speak the truth. Overall issue two shifted the series into a brand new direction. Not being a fan of the choice but still highly enjoying the issue demonstrates how well it was executed.
