GRAYSON #18 Review
Writers: Jackson Lanzing & Collin Kelly
Artists: Roge Antonio & Geraldo Borges
Colorist: Jeromy Cox
Letterer: Carlos M. Mangual
Cover: Mikel Janin
Publisher: DC Comics
Things have been “spiraling” out of control for Spyral. Agent 37 (Dick Grayson) has defected from the spy organization and enlisted the help of Agent 1 (Tiger). Not one to go down without a fight, the Matron — Helena Bertinelli — has called in backup from the greatest mercenaries in the DC universe.
While they initially went after Grayson and Tiger, the mercs now turned their sights on Bertinelli. Dick wants to dismantle Spyral. Not watch his friend die. So now Agent’s 1 and 37 have returned to St. Hadrian’s Finishing School to save everyone. Seems like a conflict of interest, but it lines up with Dick’s beliefs.
There is a brand new creative team on Grayson. Writers Tom King and Tim Seeley are replaced with another writing duo — Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly. On art is Roge Antonio and Geraldo Borges in place of Mikel Janin. King, Seeley and Janin are one of DC’s premiere creative teams. Fans will be sad to see them go, but Lanzing, Kelly, Antonio and Borges are no slouches. Lanzing and Kelly embrace the chaos of highly trained fighters battling each other. The writing duo channels the voice of Dick Grayson perfectly. Still witty even in the face of danger. What’s hilarious is seeing his carefree attitude rub off on Agent 1. Always the straight-man of their team-up, Tiger can’t help but get a joke off at Bronze Tiger’s expense.
If you’re picking up issue 18 as a first-time reader of Grayson you should be able to pick up the overall themes of the story arc. Spies double-crossing one another and fighting. It’s where we get to the interpersonal relationships that details get blurry. Helena is injured early on in the comic. What happens to her from that point to the very end of the issue is slightly confusing. Agent Zero goes from recruiting the Skull Girls to clashing with Doctor Netz. Are Helena, Agent Zero and Doctor Netz sisters? And is the person we see on the final page Helena Bertinelli? It became difficult for me to follow.
What wasn’t difficult was the art from Antonio, Borges and Jeromy Cox. They made creative use of multiple panels across pages to display action. Once a special guest makes a cameo, the panels turn into movie reels. One can imagine the projector rolling along as the fight sequences flash across the screen. My only small gripe was Dick getting sliced by Faraday in one panel and it not being referenced again. No cut marks or blood stains anywhere.
Timdogg
#ComicBookChronicles @CBChron founder. Editor-in-Chief of @thekliqnation. Comic book reviewer, podcaster #RABBLERABBLE
