The Executor (DC/Vertigo Crime)

The Executor

DC/Vertigo Crime

(Written by Jon Evans; Art by Andrea Mutti; Cover by Lee Bermejo)

May 12, 2010 Web Exclusive By Paul Bullock

Vertigo Crime delivers another pulpy treat, this time in the form of Native American exploitation thriller The Executor. Writer Jon Evans (Dark Places, Invisible Armies) and artist Andrea Mutti (Break Point, Le Syndrome de Cain) team up for the first time to tell the story of former hockey star Joe Ullen. After being named the executor of his high school sweetheart's will, Joe returns to his hometown of Elora, New York and uncovers a sinister mystery that forces him to face his darkest fears.

Both writer and artists perform extremely well by keeping a page-turning pace. Evans' economic dialogue is smart to keep out of the way of the many plot twists and turns. Mutti's tasteful use of silhouette adds to the suspense and the impressive ease at which he executes organic stylistic shifts helps with the interplay between memory, flashback, and current action. Overall, it's an excellent first effort that will hopefully yield more work of increasing quality in the future.

The book also features another awesome cover by artist Lee Bermejo. Vertigo Crime has quickly become my favorite series of graphic novels. If you are a fan of pulp fiction, check out this and their other recent titles and you won't be disappointed. (www.dccomics.com/vertigo)

Author rating: 6/10

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Average reader rating: 5/10