In literature, a gentleman thief is a character who, unlike common criminality, operates under self-imposed laws that make them honor-bound to the cause and set them apart in class. Like some modern-day Robin Hood, they almost always steal from the rich who have built empires on the backs of those who are less fortunate than them. But when these powerful men retaliate, going after the family of the so-called gentleman thief, even the most dire circumstances can turn unpredictable, as Dark Horse Comics’ latest book goes on to show. The superstar team of writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Alex Maleev is back with such a tale, but with a difference that puts an innocent girl in the crosshairs of the rich and powerful.Written by Brian Michael Bendis, with artwork from Alex Maleev, colors from Ian Herring, and letters from Joshua Reed, Masterpiece #1 is the story of Emma, a teenager whose real name seems to be Masterpiece Lawford, which, as it turns out, is also the bane of her existence. Years ago, her parents stole from Zero Preston, a movie mogul, and incurred his wrath. While they have vanished from the face of the Earth, presumed dead, their daughter Emma becomes the innocent victim of Preston’s anger as he humiliates her and forces her into working for him until the debt is paid. Standing at a crossroads, Emma now has to decide whether to work for a douchebag or take a stranger’s help in escaping to freedom.Alex Maleev’s style may be minimalist, but it is deceptively detailed, hiding a ton of visual information in and around the panels, like a well-built set. With not much action happening, Maleev places his attention on the characters and their emotions, bringing out their reactions to the things happening to them. It is dramatizing at its best. The expressions are never over the top, but their subtle body language changes are enough to give away their quirky personalities. Having worked with Bendis for so long, Maleev knows how his partner in crime wants a scene to play out, and it feels as if the characters are playing their lives out in front of a camera. Colorist Ian Herring uses contrasting tones to make everything more dramatic. He starts with softer colors in the background, but he switches to brighter ones once the plot gets going. And even then, he alternates the colors. In the scene where Zero and Masterpiece exchange words, each has a different glow, thanks to the changing colors. They are also the reason for the issue being steeped in a noir feel, even though it is just an adult terrorizing a kid. Joshua Reed does a lot of backbreaking work, placing each of the speech balloons, which the book has quite a lot of.
In literature, a gentleman thief is a character who, unlike common criminality, operates under self-imposed laws that make them honor-bound to the cause and set them apart in class. Like some modern-day Robin Hood, they almost always steal from the rich who have built empires on the backs of those who are less fortunate than them. But when these powerful men retaliate, going after the family of the so-called gentleman thief, even the most dire circumstances can turn unpredictable, as Dark Horse Comics‘ latest book goes on to show. The superstar team of writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Alex Maleev is back with such a tale, but with a difference that puts an innocent girl in the crosshairs of the rich and powerful.
Written by Brian Michael Bendis, with artwork from Alex Maleev, colors from Ian Herring, and letters from Joshua Reed, Masterpiece #1 is the story of Emma, a teenager whose real name seems to be Masterpiece Lawford, which, as it turns out, is also the bane of her existence. Years ago, her parents stole from Zero Preston, a movie mogul, and incurred his wrath. While they have vanished from the face of the Earth, presumed dead, their daughter Emma becomes the innocent victim of Preston’s anger as he humiliates her and forces her into working for him until the debt is paid. Standing at a crossroads, Emma now has to decide whether to work for a douchebag or take a stranger’s help in escaping to freedom.
Alex Maleev’s style may be minimalist, but it is deceptively detailed, hiding a ton of visual information in and around the panels, like a well-built set. With not much action happening, Maleev places his attention on the characters and their emotions, bringing out their reactions to the things happening to them. It is dramatizing at its best. The expressions are never over the top, but their subtle body language changes are enough to give away their quirky personalities. Having worked with Bendis for so long, Maleev knows how his partner in crime wants a scene to play out, and it feels as if the characters are playing their lives out in front of a camera. Colorist Ian Herring uses contrasting tones to make everything more dramatic. He starts with softer colors in the background, but he switches to brighter ones once the plot gets going. And even then, he alternates the colors. In the scene where Zero and Masterpiece exchange words, each has a different glow, thanks to the changing colors. They are also the reason for the issue being steeped in a noir feel, even though it is just an adult terrorizing a kid. Joshua Reed does a lot of backbreaking work, placing each of the speech balloons, which the book has quite a lot of.
#REVIEW #Dark #Horses #Masterpiece
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