Review Shooter: Grifter 2
The success or failure of DC’s New 52 initiative can be measured in multiple ways. I will leave the number-crunching, and spinning to the expert. On a personal level, I consider it a success for opening up the DC Universe to me. While we had great issues of Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and the likes, the stories I felt were most successful were the characters I had no idea about going into the relaunch. Now they are a part of my weekly haul. One such story is Grifter!
Grifter is an intriguing book to me because it builds a mystery and suspense that isn’t lessened on a personal level because I know or have an idea of how it will play out. We know that Cole, the book’s main character, has been given powers by forces unseen. We know that they are after him, and we know that the government has a play in this as well. What we don’t know is how this whole thing connects, and that’s part of the fun. As the story and mystery unfolds for Cole, as does it unfold for the audience. So we’re along with him on this journey, which has been a solid read thus far.
Issue 2 picks up after the incidents of the first issue in which Cole downed a plane trying to avoid these creatures that are after him. He meets with his (ex?)girlfriend at a diner, and tries to explain what has happened to him over the past month or so. She is a bit hesitant to believe him, and honestly we would be too. And his situation only gets worse when one of the creatures (they really need a title or name) that is after him enters the diner disguised as a cop. Of course with his abilities, Cole is able to pinpoint him, but no one else can so it appears that he starts a fight and blows up a cop. Surprisingly, this is enough for Cole’s girlfriend to kind of call it splitsville.
The story then switches over to the secret government agency, who have been carefully reviewing the one tape they were able to salvage from the plane-crash in the prior issue. We learn that they may have had encounters with these creatures before, but that’s about it.
There’s just a bit more to the story, but I’ve already told you enough. I would recommend reading for yourself.
The art in the book is really solid. It gets the job done, and showcases the action well. I would say its nothing special since so far all of the models in the book have been humans and really civilian dressed at that. I assume at some point, the design of the world will open up once we see the face of our foes.
New Reader Accessibility: 4– Pretty much everything of note from the first issue is recapped in this book for you. And being only the second issue, there isn’t much else backstory to know for the franchise.
Recommendation: Buy It– A truly solid read, which I think everyone should check out. A fun and interesting mystery awaits you!
