Reviewer: Mathan “This is like the finale of Quantum Leap” Erhardt
Story Title: Elvis Has Left The Episode
Written by: John Francis Moore
Penciled by: Wes Craig
Inked by: Prentis Rollins
Lettered by: Pat Brosseau
Colored by: Brian Haberlin & Avalon Studios
Editor: Matt Idelson
Publisher: DC Focus/DC Comics
Last issue Cooper gave Jordan the gift of telekinesis. But before Cooper had the chance to sign him to a contract, Jordan ran off. Without an actual hero Cooper’s business is sunk. So Cooper and Ally need to find Jordan, or they become unemployed.
The issue begins with Jordan Tyler taking a bus ride out of Nevada. At a rest stop he uses his telekinesis to help a woman hit a slot machine jackpot. Meanwhile Back in Vegas, Cooper Santiago and Ally Parrish search desperately for Jordan, even going to his past places of employment. They find out a lot about Jordan, most importantly he’s a notorious flake.
Still on his way out of town, Jordan uses his gift to hit Bingo. Unfortunatley a cop has been following him and figured out Jordan has powers. Still looking for Jordan, Cooper and Ally bump into one of Ally’s old dancer friends. She put them back on track to find Jordan.
Jordan has good news; the cop doesn’t want to arrest him. The bad news is that cop wants Jordan to use his powers to help him bankroll is way into a high stakes poker game. Jordan ends up on the roulette table, and hitting every time. Cooper finds him and the two come up with a plan to get Jordan out of the jam.
They manage to extricate Jordan from the mess and get Jordan to sign with Supernova Solutions. As they leave the casino Cooper is shot by Rory, the guy from the first issue. Cooper wakes up in the hospital only to find that the magical tattoos that allow him to give powers aren’t on his hands anymore. Now Ally has them on her hands. The Endâ?¦
This was probably my favorite first issue of any Focus book. I really enjoyed the concept. Moore did an amazing job of making you hate Cooper and sympathize with him as well. It’s too bad that the series had such a short run. There were so many plot threads that could have been picked up. He wrapped up the current storyline. But it irks me that not only do we not find out how Cooper got that tats, but how they transferred to Ally. It just makes me miss the book more.
The art team of Craig and Rollins went out with a bang. The story wasn’t a happy one, and they managed to capture the desperateness that’s the shadow side of Vegas that folks never see. They way they convey Jordan’s powers is a nice visual. And that last page is full of perfectly illustrated panels.