Near Death #9 is the first issue of the series that I’ve read, but it felt like I was reading #1. It’s possible this was intended as an easy jumping on point for new readers, as an excerpt from this issue was included in Image’s Free Comic Book Day sampler. Check out Image’s official description:

Markham relives the events leading up to his near death experience when he’s asked to protect the FBI agent who shot him.

Between the recap page at the front of the book and flashback scenes found later on, it honestly felt like I was reading the first issue of a series that started in medias res. Jay Faerber’s plot isn’t the most original –the whole thing feels like your standard action tale, and would make a nice, run-of-the-mill movie starring Jason Statham, or a show on USA by the producers of Burn Notice. Still, the pacing is steady, the interactions are believable, and Markham, the main character, gets into some interesting situations.

The art by Simone Guglielmini is wonderfully laid out. His perspective choices are inspired, with a number of long vistas; roads and trees seem to stretch on forever. His content choices are not always so good: on the first page, Markham’s passenger props her head on her hand as if relaxing – in the middle of a car chase. His faces are realistic, but the expressions can be overly exaggerated.

Image seems to be fond of back-ups this week; in this case we get a carjacking story with a twist from Ed Brisson with art by Jason Copland. It’s fast and fun, if a bit predictable.

Near Death #9 isn’t mind-blowing, but if you’ve been reading the series up until now, you should enjoy it. It also makes a nice introduction to the series for newcomers, with everything you need to know going forward.

3/5