Now I remember this story arc and why I didn’t have any bad memories of it–because it’s great.
What Brubaker does in this arc is take a character who’d be on the periphery of another story–a bigger story–and examine him. Tracy’s a tough guy who’d be in one scene of a more traditional noir story and instead Brubaker turns him into the lead. Except he’s not some first person narrator, he’s still distanced. It’s wonderful and completely unlike the first arc.
I’m not a fan of the forced fictional cities and locales, but as Brubaker brings this arc to a close, with some beautiful Phillips winter art–I wish it could go on forever. Phillips and Brubaker work great together, but something about this issue in particular really syncs more than usual.
It must be the winter. Brubaker’s narration suggests it’s always slushy and cold and Phillips’s art shows those conditions.
CREDITS
Lawless, Part Five; writer, Ed Brubaker; artist and letterer, Sean Phillips; colorist, Val Staples; publisher, Icon.
