Comic Review: Pearl #1

Pearl #1

Jinxworld

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis

Artist: Michael Gaydos

Bendis is here. He’s been here, but he was coming before, and now, with the release of Pearl, he’s really here. Know what I’m saying?

Except for his three Superman stories (two of which he is still writing), Bendis hasn’t really gotten to spread his wings over at DC. Now with Pearl #1, he launches an imprint of his own “Jinxworld,” which is a world Bendis can pretty much do whatever he wants, (which is good or bad depending on who you ask). I, for whatever reason, love Brian Michael Bendis. I just do. The “Bendis-speak” everyone seems to complain about is comforting to me, I guess. It has a nice rhythm to it and reminds me of the stammers and stutters in most Coen brothers movies. One thing everyone can agree on though is that BMB shines when he’s handling crime/street-level vigilante stuff….always has, probably always will. His run on Daredevil is beloved, and his comic ALIAS spawned a major character Jessica Jones (Created by Bendis and Michael Gaydos, BMB’s cohort on Pearl). And his run on Pearl, it seems, is going to be heavily draped in the crime-noir blanket, but with a yakuza twist.

The comic is set in modern-day San Fransisco and follows the titular Pearl, a stunning, talented young tattoo artist for the yakuza, and a decision that will more than likely send her down a tortuous, bloody path. The issue starts with Pearl at a food cart-court, being approached by a young man about a tattoo on his wrist, which was apparently done by a legendary, elusive tattoo artist. As the two are hitting it off, Rick informs her he is also a tattoo artist, and in showing off his work, reveals to her that he is also affiliated with the yakuza and tries to leave the situation entirely, but out of nowhere, a bunch of assassins on motorbikes attack Rick and his crew. Pearl, almost instinctively it seems, pulls out a gun and protects Rick and his friends from certain death. But for this action, she must now meet with a crime boss and her boss, Mr. Miike, and explain herself and find out what he has in store for her.

I really liked the start of this series a whole hell of a lot. It’s not perfect by any means, and the plotting (of this first issue anyway) was a bit by the numbers and predictable. Most crime-noir is at the start; it’s all the twist and turns it takes, and where it winds up that’s important. Now, when I said not perfect, I meant the story itself…because the art by Michael Gaydos is astoundingly brilliant. It IS perfect, in every way possible. From the very first panel, which is a tight shot of her spider-tattoo, to the slow panel-by-panel pan out revealing it to be on her skin, the art is heavenly. The dark color scheme perfectly matches the art and brings the perfect mood for the story. Also, this issue features one of the coolest damned splash pages I’ve ever seen (which you can see below). Now, again, Bendis also did some great work here. The interplay between Pearl and her friend was genuinely funny and oddly realistic (as is a good chunk of Bendis’s dialogue for young people is). The man is a fountain of youthful exuberance. Also, a flashback with a 14-year old Pearl receiving a gun from her father has some amazing, powerful dialogue that I got a huge kick out of, and I hope to see more of her father in future issues. I’d be remiss if I neglected to mention crime-boss Mr. Miike and his misworded uses of popular phrases and references in extremely serious circumstances. I cannot wait to see Mr. Miike’s true colors and ambitions later down the line.

So I’d say, all in all, it was a very, very good start to a creator-owned series. It seems to have strong, unique characters. Set up a nice launching point for the plot to take off, and man I love that art. Seriously, it’s so damn good.

Skyrockets at night!