Reviewer: John Babos
Story Title: Greenlight
Written by: Dan Jolley
Penciled by: Leonard Kirk
Inked by: Robin Riggs
Colored by: Moose Bauman
Lettered by: Robin Leigh
Edited by: Ivan Cohen
Publisher: DC Comics
Dark Roots
There has been a dark part of, what we know today as, the DC Universe (DCU) since the Golden Age. From the creation of Batman to franchises such as the Suicide Squad, Manhunter, the Question, Vigilante, Checkmate, Deathstroke, Chain Gang War and now Bloodhound.
With the exception of Batman, who has spawned a family of titles over the years, some featuring him and others spotlighting the greater Gotham area’s costumed vigilantes, no other grim and gritty DC property has had a run that has spanned over ten years intact.
The 1980’s saw a plethora of darker non-Batman properties emerge, that were either re-imaginings of Silver Age concepts (the Suicide Squad, Manhunter and the Question) or were entirely new (Checkmate, Deathstroke, Chain Gang War and Vigilante – although that name had a less than storied “cowboy†history in the DCU to that point).
During this same period, DC’s Vertigo mature readers line debuted, but readers pretty well had to be older than 18 years of age to experience that sub-brand’s titles. Vertigo aside, the 1980’s were a dark period content-wise for DC and comics, most likely spurred by the success of Frank Miller’s Dark Knight Returns featuring the granddaddy of the dark DCU, Batman.
However, with the exception of the Batman family of titles, many of the DC’s grim properties fell by the wayside by the mid-1990’s or earlier.
Although, the success of Mike Grell’s Long Bow Hunters in 1987 led to a resurgence of the Green Arrow franchise that lasted 63 issues in a mature readers format, after which the lead, Oliver Queen, supposedly died in issue 101 (nine years after Long-Bow Hunters, keeping the “ten year†rule I mentioned earlier intact). The Green Arrow title continued, although as a pale imitation of its 1980’s grittiness, with Oliver’s son donning the cowl and sporting the bow. That title mercifully ended with 1998’s issue 137 (just over eleven years after the series’ very-different launch with a different lead).
Over the years, there were other dark DC books as well, like the Joker, Secret Society of Super-Villains, and Eclipso, but they featured villains as leads.
All that said, DC is deliberately flirting with its darker non-Vertigo side again. 2004 will see the debut of a new Manhunter series in addition to Bloodhound. As well, the future holds new mini-series for the Question and the Vigilante, in addition to a yet-to-be named dark “hero†title by John Byrne (more information is expected to be announced at the big San Diego comics convention this summer).
So, with the ten year rule in mind, what does the future hold for DC’s new and older dark franchises? Well, if Bloodhound #1 is any indication, we can expect some good read’n…. for the near the future anyway.
The Review
Writer Dan Jolley introduces a very interesting lead in Travis Clevenger. He’s a disgraced cop behind bars with the criminal element that he used to put there. As one would imagine, a cop in prison is a lightning rod for unwanted attention and aggression from his criminal “neighboursâ€. Jolley teases readers as to why Clevenger in jail, but there still is a sense of mystery about his past that will slowly unfold as the series progresses.
Jolley also borrows from 1980’s Suicide Squad lore, by having two Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) agents visit Clevenger in prison and offer him a deal that would get him closer to freedom. In exchange for his help in tracking down a meta-human stalker, an ability or knack that the all-too-human Clevenger seemingly has, the FBI will try to shave time off his prison sentence. Our lead wants no part of the deal, but he and the FBI soon get caught in a prison riot, where they’re forced into an alliance that leads to bullets, blood, and brawling with the inmates.
I’ve found Jolley hit and miss as a writer much like Judd Winick. While Jolley’s Firestorm is underwhelming, his work on Bloodhound #1 exceeds expectations. The environment and world that we experience captures the 1980’s vibe of the Suicide Squad. Its a dark world with the associated intrigue that comes from the government or police bartering the service of a criminal towards a commuted sentence. In addition, Clevenger feels like the misunderstood, but noble lead from the 1990’s Deathstroke series. He’s a honourable gray character that marches with his own moral code. He’s strong in power, but his spirit has a softness to it that Jolley delivers on the page.
The art of Leonard Kirk and Robin Riggs is very dynamic and “fits†the book. Their work on Bloodhound may be the reason that Clevenger feels like Slade Wilson from the Deathstroke series. The art on this title is very reminiscent of the work of Steve Erwin and Will Blyberg, the art team on Deathstroke in the early part of that series.
The art in Bloodhound is outstanding. The characters each have their own nuances and their faces really help convey the emotions of the story, particularly the initial laissez faire attitude of Clevenger and his later conflicted call to action during the riot.
As many opening issue’s do, there is a lot crammed into Bloodhound #1. A bit on Clevenger’s past. Enough action and drama to see how he instinctively reacts today. A noble goal that we works toward – not for himself, but because its right.
We don’t see any meta-humans in this issue, but that aspect of the series will likely come next month. It will be entertaining to see how a non-powered human takes down super-powered villains.
Bloodhound #1 is one of the best new properties I’ve read in the last few years and we haven’t gotten to the meat of this series’ raison d’être yet. With most of the requisite introduction material now out of the way, issue #2 should kick the series into a higher gear. I can’t wait.
