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The One Hand Killer is still on the loose, and Detective Ari Nassar can’t catch a break, even after finding a huge clue at the previous crime scene. The journey turns personal as he starts to feel himself slipping through the cracks and the world he once knew is slowly leaving him behind. Neo Novena seems to be on the edge of losing its soul, and Nassar may not be able to save anyone, including himself.
- Written by Ram V
- Art by Laurence Campbell
- Colors by Lee Loughridge
- Letters by Aditya Bidikar
- Designed by Tom Muller
On The One Hand
If you didn’t read my review for issue #1, The One Hand is a Neo Noir crime thriller following Detective Ari Nassar as he try’s to solve a serial killer case that he’s already solved…twice! The first issue was fantastic, a true noir story filled with mystery and character that really grabbed my attention. It’s interesting that this story is running concurrently with The Six Fingers, following the point of view of the killer, or at least maybe it is.
Changes From One Hand To Another
This issue starts off with a bang. A three quarters page panel of a person on fire that is, and this may be sadistic to say, beautiful. It’s so simple and violent that it immediately grabs my attention. This is the scene of an unrelated crime, where we find Detective Nassar meeting with one of the witnesses that just so happens to be one of his informants. There’s a great dialogue between the two as they discuss the crime and how it represents what’s going on with the city as a whole.
From here on we follow Nassar throughout this day. It seems like at every turn he’s realizing that his way of doing things is slowly dying. The world he has known for so long is fading away, leaving him a bit on edge and depressed. Things like his department bringing in a new technology specialist, his usual “companion” robot is retired as an outdated model, and upon visiting an art gallery, he sees some shocking behavior from high society.
Crafting A Noir Tale In The One Hand
Ram V is slowly revealing little pieces of Ari and the city of Neo Novena to us. As he does, we’re understanding that it’s not just the underbelly of the city that is dirty and corrupt, but the upper class of this society is just perverted. This makes things even harder for Nassar as the killer he seeks could fit in anywhere.
One of my favorite scenes in this issue happens when Nassar and his partner visit the previous victims wife. She describes her husband as ordinary and unremarkable. This is one of the more deeply noir scenes as she smokes her cigarette and cries as her mascara runs. The lighting is magnificent with the use of blinds and dark corners in the room. Nothing feels insignificant about this place. As Nassar combs the house for clues theres a really great moment where the arrangement of family photos fit one of the cryptic symbols that the murderer writes on the walls of his crime scenes. A wide shot highlights it as a piece of the puzzle and it really draws me in.
Using Light and Dark To Build A Noir World
I want to reiterate a couple of things I said in my review for issue #1. First, Laurence Campbell knows how to use negative space and black ink so well. This really is the epitome of less is more. Every panel is dripping with noir. I find myself looking everywhere for clues. Each setting has such depth and a gritty feel that I’m sucked into this world. I also love that in the middle of the book things get very abstract, and symbolic imagery takes over.
The second thing I wanted to reiterate is that Lee Loughridge just gets it, man. His use of blues and pinks and neons to color the exterior city is wonderful. Once we’re inside everything warms up with oranges, yellows, and browns. Above all, it’s his attention to lighting that blows me away. The way he makes lights glow, from the largest buildings to the smallest cigarette, is just so engaging.
Everything Points to 9/10
I was intrigued by issue #1, but issue #2 really pulled me in deeper. Ram V is pulling me into this city and the character of Ari Nassar. The art gets the best of marks. Between Laurence Campbell and Lee Loughridge, I find myself part of this world. I can feel it, smell it, hear it. This truly is an example of how synergy between every creator can make something real and tangible. Between this and The Six Fingers, there’s a story like no other being constructed here and I don’t want to miss a single panel of it.
