Ex-Con #2 Review


Can this issue capitalise on the intense opening issue? Or will it fail to live up to the high standards it’s set itself? Read on to find out.

The official description from Dynamite:

Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Once Cody Pomeray had L.A.’s elite eating out of his hand; now he’s sucking grime from the bottom of their pools. But that’s just his parole gig. His real job? Sneaking away from the watchful eye of Quemando – his hot parole officer – and scouring the bars of Venice Beach with to find an arsonist who’s been torching pads all over town. Then Cody walks into the wrong condo, and dreams of freedom pretty much go up in smoke.

ExCon02-1-d48c3Having been the stand out from Dynamite’s Creators Unleashed opening issues, I was slightly disappointed to see Ex-Con drop in quality. Though this entry still proves to be a worthy addition to anyones pull list, it kind of lost the spark that the first issue had, with it feeling more like a slow burning transition issue. The issue did however have some good moments, ending in a very enthralling manor.

Duane Swierczynski gives a solid follow-up to this tale, as though it didn’t live up to the quality of the last, he still gave some intriguing moments. Despite this it was the narration, and dialogue that was the key factor in turning this disappointing second issue into an enjoyable read, with the deep thought patterns of Cody allowing us to see more and more of his characteristics. The tempo was also raised near the end, with an impromptu fight, and surprising if not shocking cliffhanger really turning this issue around.

Keith Burns produces some wonderful artwork, with his rough style giving a gritty tone to this series. What really stands out about Burns art however is his layouts, with the character positioning and shading giving real depth to this tale. Burns even shows a flair for detail, as though the pencil work itself is still rough, the stubble in Cody’s silhouette adding that extra layer of grit. The colours of Aikau Oliva also once again prove impressive, with the mixture of dark and light tones working with the varying scenery.

Ex-Con #2 isn’t the best of follow-ups, feeling more like a slow burning filler. It does however give some entertaining moments, with the narration allowing for deep character development. Due to this the issue scrapes through with a recommendation, but if you didn’t read the first issue, then maybe this is worth missing.

OUR RATING
6.5
  • + Brilliant narration throughout.
  • + Duane Swierczynski gives some exciting moments near the end.
  • + Keith Burns gritty art continues to suit this tale.
  • - Felt too much like a filler, with there being little in the way of over progression.

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