SHERIFF OF BABYLON #4 Review
Writer: Tom King
Art and Colors: Mitch Gerads
Letterer: Travis Lanham
Cover: John Paul Leon
Publisher: Vertigo Comics
I have a confession to make. Reviewing Sheriff of Babylon makes me nervous. Now before you close out this tab in your browser, let me explain. Military real-world comics normally aren’t my cup-of-tea. I’m pro-superhero comics, but am making an effort to sample more diverse books. The creators Tom King and Mitch Gerads are two of my favorites in the game right now. This combination makes Sheriff of Babylon an enjoyable read each month.
My fear comes in my ability to accurately describe what occurs inside the pages. There is a lot of nuance to be picked up in the story details. Because King and Gerads research the material to have it as accurate as possible, the finer details go over my head. An example of this is an interaction Christopher has with a little boy. The boy eventually sells Chris a rug after a back-and-forth negotiation. I have no idea what the significance of the rug is. But I do know it was damn entertaining! From the character acting between panels, to the hazy dusty colors in the air, the reader feels as if they’re in the conversation.
Tom King is a fan of the six-to-nine panel layout. We see it abundantly in The Omega Men and here in Sheriff of Babylon. It makes for a unique reading experience.
The opening tale from Saffiya was a wonderful way to transition into our story. Gerads slightly altered his art style to display this was standalone.
My favorite scenes were of Nassir escaping his captors. The brutality in their deaths could be felt on each page. Nassir waited until the very last moment to show his hand. After being tortured last issue, he remained calm under pressure. The ‘BANG’ captions from Travis Lanham were perfectly displayed. The square captions with black backgrounds on white letters made them stand out.
Along with my favorite scenes, my favorite line involved no one believing CNN. How some things never change.
Timdogg
#ComicBookChronicles @CBChron founder. Editor-in-Chief of @thekliqnation. Comic book reviewer, podcaster #RABBLERABBLE
