Writer: Paul Jenkins
Art: Humberto Ramos
Colours: Leonard Olea & Edgar Delgado
Cover: Humberto Ramos
Logo: Leonardo Olea
Publisher: Boom! Studios
Purchase: http://www.comixology.com/Revelations-1-of-6/digital-comic/61677
A priest jumps off a roof and impales himself on a fence. Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. No? Thought not, but can you imagine the punch line?! No? It’s not very funny is it? BUT! If you think it would involve some massive century spanning papal conspiracy then Boom! Studios has just the comic for you!
Revelations #1 is a hard-boiled, rain soaked detective story that takes place in Vatican City. After a priest falls to his death under suspicious circumstances, a cardinal turns to his old friend Northern, a former police detective and current chain smoker, to help solve the case. What follows is a fairly straight forward detective story elevated by Ramos’ kinetic art and Jenkins’ irreverent wit.
Jenkins sticks to the detective archetypes almost religiously, yet fleshes out his main character, Northern, with a healthy sense of humour. The plot is deceptively simple as the issue ends on kind of a weak cliff-hanger. It’s not enough to turn readers away, it’s just fairly obvious. Hopefully, Jenkins can let his pen loose and delve into some crazier twists now that the pesky exposition is out of the way.
Ramos’ high spirited style makes the reader stare deeply into the pages. The art offers an almost mosaiced effect that sells the mystery and offers the reader some glorious panels in return. Good thing Ramos has the duo of Olea & Delgado on colour duty, because they certainly have their work cut out for them. Luckily they are up to task as their aged pallet and gloriously obtrusive rain effects make this story all the better.
If you’re in the mood for a hard nosed detective story with some great art and a funny bone then look no further than Revelations #1. Hopefully Jenkins can keep the story moving along and offer some twists to make that’ll make the creative team really work for their pay.
-Sean