Gunplay Review
A man with a cursed gun is forced to do its bidding.
Writer: Jorge Vega & Priest
Art: Dominic Vivona & Kevin Mellon
Colors: Nei Ruffino
Letters: Swawn De Pasquale
Editor: Dave Collins
Publisher: Platinum Studios Comics
Having first read the solicit for this story, I was intrigued. With the recent resurgence in western comics these days, any story in the genre with an interesting twist beckons for attention.
Gunplay writer Jorge Vega won Platinum Studio’s 2007 Comic Book Challenge, the same contest that introduced D.J. Coffman to a wider audience last year with his outstanding Hero by Night series. Based on the success of that title, it made Gunplay that much more of a good risk.
Gunplay is an incredibly complex story. The solicit for this title describes a Buffalo Soldier who is cursed with a gun that forces him to kill one person every day. With that summary, I expected a certain kind of story, and was surprised to get something a lot deeper.
Adding to an already great story are the “Dime Novel” interludes written by comic veteran Priest. They break up the individual “chapters” of the book, and provide a little more depth that you couldn’t quite convey in a simple comic story. They are very well written, and help add to the overall content of the story. Even the densest graphic stories are sometimes quick reads – the prose sections of this book add just enough to give you a lot of story for your comic dollar. In an age of decompressed storytelling, the Gunplay graphic novel gives you the same story that you might otherwise find in a full year of some of the most acclaimed comic stories these days.
The art is a mixed bag. The regular art has some weaknesses – while the characters are distinct, occasionally the panel layout doesn’t quite convey the story as well as it could. Occasionally things seem a little flat as well. Overall the art is solid, though – the few weaknesses don’t detract too much from the already great story.
The Dime Novel interludes feature some black sketches that harken to some simple novel illustrations. Many of them are quite beautiful, and add to the feel of the book.
I will avoid going into too much detail about this story, as I would like for you to read it. It is well worth the cost, and I have to admit that this is one of the best comic stories I have read this year. It is rare that a comic surpasses expectations – and this one did that and more. Gunplay is a thoughtful, well written comic that will keep your attention straight through to the end.
On a related note, Platinum Studios Comics has just announced the start of the 2008 Comic Book Challenge – more information on that can be found here.
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