A Hero With a Gift for Grift

The Hero With A Gift For Grift

Review of Grifter #1

By: Andrew Hines

WHINES@CSUMB.EDU

     Cole Cash is a charming con artist who has been traveling across the United States for the better part of the last decade, stealing from men just as dishonest as he is.  There is, after all, no honor among thieves.  Let’s go through a run down of the character in the classic WildStorm before we jump into the ins and outs of the issue. 

     As a member of the genetically modified Team 7 and then the infamous WildC.A.T.s: Covert Action Teams, he is no stranger to combat.  As both the gunslinger and “mystery man” of the teams, he is at once hotheaded and calm.  If you take the blonde hair and temper from Arthur of Atlantis (Aquaman) and blended it with the Casanova charm and penchant for trench coats of Marvel’s Gambit, you’d get the classic Grifter.  This is the Cole Cash I grew up with, the man’s man, a good ol’ boy with a silver tongue and itchy trigger fingers hell-bent on saving the human race from shape-shifting aliens.  Well, that last part is a whole other story, so let’s get to the current issue.

     With Nathan Edmonson as the writer, Cole’s story starts out interestingly enough.  Despite the jump on the fourth page looking like something from Lost, it’s a cool transition.  The problem with it is that it doesn’t keep the same pacing as the first few pages.  Rather than a day in the life of a man of action, you see a speedy descent into paranoia.  We see a man in control of his life suddenly hearing voices in his head that he can’t explain.  At least there’s a cameo appearance from Cole’s younger brother Max and a glimpse of the trademark bandana mask used to identify Grifter.

     The art by CAFU (that is the actual name of the artist,) is good, as are the colors by Andrew Dalhouse.  The art is clearly their own and there is no trying to duplicate anyone else’s style.  The colors are perfect for the style of art, sort of soft but visually striking.  The overall effects aren’t exactly epic, but still nearly perfect for the character.

     Knowing the character as I do and the struggles he has gone through during his time in WildStorm.  This is one of those that I was looking forward to since I first heard of the re-launch.  As hard as it is to bring a new character into the fold from another company, Edmonson did a decent job.  This gets a 7.4 out of 10, only slightly better than average.

     Andrew has been reading comics for the last 18 years, namely those from DC Comics and their WildStorm imprint. He started with WildC.A.T.s and the titles of Batman, Superman, Flash, and Green Lantern.