MANHUNTER #34
Review by: Mart
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Size: pages
Price: 2.99
This review contains spoilers, click here to read
Kate Spencer continues her investigation into the murders of young women on the border between Mexico and Texas. Here she concludes her run-in with the Suicide Squad, is surprised by her Birds of Prey colleagues and discovers how complicated the situation truly is.
Manhunter continues to be an intelligent, enjoyable read since its recent un-cancellation, with Kate as complicated a character as ever. I don't like her justification for killing Multiplex' duplicates, but her arguments are compelling, as befits a lawyer. I do admire her sheer determination to not be deterred from her path in her bid to put an end to the murders.
Writer Mark Andreyko doesn't skimp on characterisation of other characters either, with particularly satisfying moments for Bronze Tiger, Phantom Lady, Iron Munro and legal assistant Damon.
Mind, it's the amount of time given to supporting players and their subplots that has me worrying about this book. Yes, we know DC is giving it a big trades push, and that Executive Editor Dan Didio loves the series, but surely the sheer number of subplots could put off new readers. We have weapons guy Dylan's past catching up with him, son Ramsay's emerging powers, the relationships between Phantom Lady and Iron Munro & Damon and Obsidian (wonders never cease, they actually share a close-up smacker!) and probably stuff I've forgotten. Outside of Kate's (ugly red out of black) thought boxes, there's no narration to introduce and contextualise characters, and instead of page transitions, new scenes just appear on top of the previous scene. I realise this sort of thing is considered cinematic but - newsflash - Manhunter is a comic book and comics have their own toolbox, which includes defaults for scene-setting and recaps. A new reader coming on after the start of an arc will likely be scratching their heads when a few simple, subtle concessions would allow them to dive straight in.
Really, I love this book, but it's gone too far in the direction of trade-waiting; please DC, make it a titchy bit easier for new readers so the Manhunter property has a chance of surviving another year.
Artwise, Michael Gaydos continues to deliver art which is moody and realistic but not apparently dependent on models. My little quibble is that too many panels seem to take Kate's bum or tits as the starting point for their design. Aside from the minor sexism I'm seeing/imagining, it's shoving one of the pugliest costumes in comics in our face.
The big surprise artwise was the cover - I really liked it, looked for a signature and found it was the work of Scott McDaniel and Andy Owens, one of my least favourite artistic teams. So for one month, at least, I'm eating crow, guys.
Let's just hope that for many months more, I'm reading Manhunter.
Manhunter continues to be an intelligent, enjoyable read since its recent un-cancellation, with Kate as complicated a character as ever. I don't like her justification for killing Multiplex' duplicates, but her arguments are compelling, as befits a lawyer. I do admire her sheer determination to not be deterred from her path in her bid to put an end to the murders.
Writer Mark Andreyko doesn't skimp on characterisation of other characters either, with particularly satisfying moments for Bronze Tiger, Phantom Lady, Iron Munro and legal assistant Damon.
Mind, it's the amount of time given to supporting players and their subplots that has me worrying about this book. Yes, we know DC is giving it a big trades push, and that Executive Editor Dan Didio loves the series, but surely the sheer number of subplots could put off new readers. We have weapons guy Dylan's past catching up with him, son Ramsay's emerging powers, the relationships between Phantom Lady and Iron Munro & Damon and Obsidian (wonders never cease, they actually share a close-up smacker!) and probably stuff I've forgotten. Outside of Kate's (ugly red out of black) thought boxes, there's no narration to introduce and contextualise characters, and instead of page transitions, new scenes just appear on top of the previous scene. I realise this sort of thing is considered cinematic but - newsflash - Manhunter is a comic book and comics have their own toolbox, which includes defaults for scene-setting and recaps. A new reader coming on after the start of an arc will likely be scratching their heads when a few simple, subtle concessions would allow them to dive straight in.
Really, I love this book, but it's gone too far in the direction of trade-waiting; please DC, make it a titchy bit easier for new readers so the Manhunter property has a chance of surviving another year.
Artwise, Michael Gaydos continues to deliver art which is moody and realistic but not apparently dependent on models. My little quibble is that too many panels seem to take Kate's bum or tits as the starting point for their design. Aside from the minor sexism I'm seeing/imagining, it's shoving one of the pugliest costumes in comics in our face.
The big surprise artwise was the cover - I really liked it, looked for a signature and found it was the work of Scott McDaniel and Andy Owens, one of my least favourite artistic teams. So for one month, at least, I'm eating crow, guys.
Let's just hope that for many months more, I'm reading Manhunter.
Story: 4 - Very Good
Art: 4 - Very Good
Art: 4 - Very Good
I agree with you on most points. This book seems to be caught in perpetual set up mode since it’s re-launch. That’s not entirely bad (you got to build a strong foundation for an on-going) but last issue promised that the story’s gears would start turning. Instead of that we got more of Andreyko’s subplot juggling (Cam and Dylan’s scene seemed particularly un-necessary if not downright obtrusive, how did that scene relate to anything else anyway?). This is a monthly and like you say, it should open it’s doors to potential readers. I’ve been touting this book as superhero excellence but with this issue I can’t really do that sincerely. I can urge people to go pick up the trades or dig up issues 31-33, but I can’t say "yeah, pick up this issue, it’s great!"
I for one see no sexism in the art and am enjoying it more and more. It could use a bit more light to match more closely with Anderyko’s sense of humor but other than that I love it!
The cover grossed me out.
I’m totally digging this series. I was a bit confused at the beginning of this issue (as I’d forgotten last month’s issue), but by the end, I was delighted by where it was going. And goddamnit, Gaydos draws one hell of a book.
Yeah, I had a disconnect too, I could recall the new crime doctor but not her plan being revealed . . . and I couldn’t find last ish to check. Darn.
. . .
I LOVE THAT COSTUME!
Her bum looks big in it.
maybe she has a big bum.
Nah, Terry Long was Donna’s hubby.