The Gray Area #1 Review

Reviewer: John Babos
Story Title: The Gray Area

Written by: Glen Brunswick
Penciled by: John Romita Jr.
Inked by: Klaus Janson
Colored by: Bill Crabtree
Lettered by: John Workman
Managing Editor: Eric Stephenson
Publisher: Image Comics

The Gray Area is the years-in-the-making first creator-owned project by comics legend John Romita Jr. John continues to be an artistic trailblazer in the industry. His penciling style has always been unique and stood out among the many flavour-of-the-month art styles that have come and gone over the years. John Romita Jr. could quite possibly be the comics industry’s artistic iron man, having established a reputation for meeting deadlines and an ability to deliver more than one high-quality book monthly.

John is joined in his venture by comics neophyte Glen Brunswick. While he may be new to comics as a creator, Brunswick is a longtime comics fan and established scribe. His originality and ability to think-outside-the-box was the key to one of the most original and entertaining movies I’ve seen in years: 2000’s Frequency.

Legendary inker Klaus Janson compliments John’s pencils well and give the art a vibrancy that just leaps off the page.

411 was honored to be able to chat with John about Gray Area recently. That interview was quite illuminating about the project.

”Gray Area reads like a 3-Act play,” said Romita. “The first part focuses on Chance’s life on Earth, and showcases how much of a scumbag he can be, and ends with death. The second part is his introduction and indoctrination into the Gray Area. And the third focuses on his return to the real world to carry out a mission for the Gray Watchers.”

The Gray Area #1 introduces us to the world of New York Detective Rudy Chance. He’s a corrupt cop that still manages to the bane of existence for the criminal element that he’s not aligned with.

The first issue really is the story of Rudy and its nothing like anything else on the stands today. It has a very cinematic feel and Rudy very much feels like the tortured soul that is Michael Chiklis’ corrupt cop Vic Mackey from TV’s The Shield. Rudy, like Vic, gets wrapped up in the underworld and is looking out for #1, himself (and by extension his family). However, unlike Vic, who still has that lovable side (I still think of actor Michael Chiklis from his The Commish days), Romita’s Rudy Chance is really not that likable of a character. Even after readers go through the same pain and experience Rudy’s personal loss in issue #1, he still isn’t someone that you really want to root for.

I think that the success of the first issue of The Gray Area is that readers can’t get into the head of Rudy and can’t understand what makes him really tick. We see what he goes through, a chain of events he caused himself, and probably internalize how we would react to that, but Rudy deals with it in his own way… a way that rational people with a conscience could not. That said, readers can’t get ahead of the story, because its hard to “get” Rudy. Subsequently, there truly is an intrigue and mystery about what happens next.

That’s the main appeal of The Gray Area for me… that it is unconventional. I enjoyed the first issue because I can’t wrap my head around Rudy’s motivations and therefore can’t get ahead of the story. I really am a spectator clamoring for the next installment, unlike with many other books on the shelves today.

The other key to the book’s success is its multi-genre flavor. Its a crime-drama and mystery that meets horror and fantasy. The witty banter among the characters also give the book a very West Wing-like repartee flavor that really helps advance the story and differentiate the characters. Its an overall interesting mix that hopes to deliver a unique “feel” and an engaging tale.

Romita’s pencils are typically solid and the story of The Gray Area, so far, delivers a very fresh comic book tale that has broad appeal and could easily be the industry’s next breakout property: from comic books to books to television to movies to you-name-it.

In a time where comic books are really pricey, and readers are leery to try new books, The Gray Area is well worth its hefty cover price. Not only do readers get a meaty story that is solid on both the art and story side, readers also get DVD-like extras including creator commentary, original pencils, character design, script and other “production notes”.

The Gray Area is a highly recommended and satisfying read. Don’t miss out.