Writer: Marc Andreyko
Artists: Javier Pina and Robin Riggs
Publisher: DC Comics
Manhunter? Never heard of it. Title involving female crime-fighter who works as an attorney. Hmm, sounds familiar. Kills villain? Ok, so there’s a bit of Judge Dredd in there too. It’s easy to be cynical about new comics; it’s equally easy to jump to conclusions – especially where this comic is concerned.
By rights it should be a tragedy of stereotypes for writing a new heroine that comes across as real and commands the audience’s support is a Herculean task with many pitfalls. Andreyko has succeeded in creating a thoroughly likeable, tough and intelligent character. Where a lesser writer would amp up the toughness and reduce the likeability, Andreyko understands that for a character to be followed, he or she has to be liked so he introduces us to Kate Spencer and very carefully balances out these elements to give us a great character to root for.
Andreyko doesn’t simply pull it off, he does with style. Before giving these new issues a try I tracked down the One Year Later issues and was greatly surprised by them. In one of those issues a villain is indeed killed, but the manner of it is very well done. Andreyko carefully walks through the political minefield by showing the act for what it is, a last resort whose time had come. That’s it. No grandstanding, just matter-of-fact. What could so easily have been a hackneyed or pointlessly melodramatic moment is turned into an excellent conclusion to a dangling thread from previous issues.
Unfortunately, due to a low level of interest, the title was axed with issue 25 but a fan campaign persuaded DC to give it a reprieve of 5 issues, Andreyko got the clearance for an ambitious arc involving Kate Spencer defending Wonder Woman against charges of murder for the death of Max Lord. But that’s not all, as each of the supporting cast have their own stories to tell. These are all pretty engaging and it makes for a very smart package. Andreyko is supported by an excellent artistic team in Javier Pina (pencils) and Robin Riggs (inks). The art is consistently good. Everything is clear with both emotion and action are conveyed with equal skill.
Where Andreyko particularly succeeds is in making the issues accessible. You can start reading these comics without any real knowledge of the DC characters save beyond perhaps knowing who Superman and Batman are. At the same time he puts little references into the issues that more familiar fans will recognise and pick up. Such multi levelled writing is a tricky thing to pull off but when it works this well it’s great.
Finally, despite fan efforts, it would appear Manhunter has been axed again. In the April solicitations the entry for Manhunter 30 said ‘final issue.’ But, some may say, how can it be final? Surely it is premature to axe the title on the sales success of only 2 issues of the new arc? Well, maybe it is but sometimes that’s how the business works. Sure Batman’s appearance in the next issue may give it a one-time boost but then? I am inclined to think DC will conclude they that gave it a high-profile arc and it still was not enough, therefore it’s got to go. So should you continue buying the singles if it’s going to be end? If you’re a fan – definitely. A collection is not guaranteed and it gives DC a message that there is an audience for the writing of Andreyko. Of course if it was to get another reprieve, I wouldn’t protest about it!
Potential Spoilers
Recent events have threatened once again to set the Internet ablaze by having the Blue Beetle return. Why should this be controversial? Because the man is dead, shot through the head, on-panel, with a visible corpse! Now comics, particularly superhero comics written in the pulp tradition, are famously lax about this sort of thing but this one was about as complete a death as one could imagine. Yet in the final page (and indeed in the cover of #27) , there is someone wearing a Blue Beetle costume! So what is going on here? Well, options are:
The Miracle: It is the dead Blue Beetle, he’s been revived and is back because the lock on the revolving door between life and death is again bust.
The Macabre: It is the dead guy and he’s still dead, but he’s found one hell of a mortician to clean him up! Ah, but who resurrected him and why isn’t he a zombie? Or is he?
The Conspiracy: Diana Prince aka Wonder Woman is on trial and shadowy interests want her to lose therefore this a set-up to pressure her emotionally. This is the cynical but likely to be true option.
Plus any others you can think of!
Ben Crofts is resident in Essex, works in London and has found comics and philosophy mix surprisingly well.