Down and Dirty

Vince Yim, OP Comic Book Guy

 

 

 

Detective Deanna Ransome was the one of the
only survivors after a drug sting went down,
mercilessly gunning down seven gang members
while three of her fellow officers were slain.
Landing in suspension, her redemption comes
in the form of a dangerous assignment. She is
to retrieve former undercover officer Nick

Rivers, who was originally assigned to infiltrate
the Mendoza gang, but instead “went native”
and now runs the gang.

Warren Ellis (Transmetropolitain, The
Authority) crafts an interesting read, if a bit thin
at times. Lacking much of the social commen-
tary and humour of his previous works, Down
tends to sacrifice substance for style, but it has
style to spare. With its sexy-yet-tough-as-nails
heroine and cinematic storytelling, Down is one
of the coolest crime reads on the shelf. Ellis
goes places that modern cop shows fear to
tread, showing “good guys” that are willing to
do just about anything to get the job done.
Ransome being given a specific directive to
murder four dirty cops to get closer to Rivers
further illustrates this.

Artists Tony Harris (Ex Machina) and Cully
Hamner (Batman: Tenses) have distinctly differ-
ent art styles, which makes the transition from
the first issue to the second a bit rough. That
aside, their art has a lot of visual appeal, cap-
turing every moment like the frames of a film
reel. There is the tendency to indulge in blood-
shed at many points, with the violence being
depicted in graphic detail (the first issue depicts
disembowelment and castration by gunshot,
while the second issue depicts somebody hav-

 

ing his throat torn out with a fork). Not sur-
prisingly, the book has a warning label on the
front cover.

Sadly, the book follows a disturbing trend in
the comic book industry towards under-con-
densed storytelling and excessive padding,
mostly for the purposes of repackaging in
(more expensive) trade paperback compilations
later on. Ultimately, very little happens in the
first two issues and could have easily been com-
pressed into a tighter read spanning two-thirds
of a single issue. Ellis clearly does not make the
best use of the 22-page story format. While
dedicating eight whole pages to a shoot out cer-
tainly looks cool, but doesn’t really add much to
the story. For $4.60 CDN per issue, there isn’t a
heck of a whole lot of bang for the proverbial
buck.

While definitely worth a glance, this series is
difficult to recommend picking up due to its
over-expanded storytelling style. Not enough
happens in the two issues to make it worth-
while.

Down (issues reviewed: #1 and #2)
Written by Warren Ellis

Art by Tony Harris (issue #1) and Cully
Hamner (issue #2)

Published by Image Comics / Top Cow
Studios

ARTS& ENTERTAINMENT 14.
What's Going Down

 

Hostel

Directed by Eli Roth

Three backpackers head to a Slovakian city that promises to
meet their hedonistic expectations, with no idea of the hell that awaits them.
Apparently the grossest film ever, it will make you think twice before trying to
save money while traveling.

Now Playing

 

The New World

Starring Colin Farrell

A chronicle of the adventurous life of Captain John Smith (Farrell), who
helped settle the colony of Jamestown, Virginia in 1607, and his relationship
with Pocahontas (Kilcher), the young Algonquian native who Smith claimed
saved him from sure death. Like Pocahontas, but without wacky animals and
singing.

Now Playing

Glory Road

Starring Josh Lucas

Texas Western coach Don Haskins (Lucas) and his all-black starting five head
to the NCAA tournament in 1966. True story, I guess.

Now Playing

Music
Buy an Ipod baby!

Theatre

Urinetown, The Musical

A musical parody of everything from corporate greed to musical theatre.
Firehall Arts Theatre

January 11-28

‘Tix and info, call 604.689.0926

Any Number Can Die

Comedic takeoff on 1920’s mystery plays.
The ACT in Maple Ridge
Tix $20, call 604.476.2787

The Hungry Season
Story of missionary workers returning home to a family that no longer knows
Pacific Theatre
January 27—February 25
Tix $14-28, call 604.731.5518