Review: Amber Blake #2
The plot thickens as Amber tries to graduate from her version of Hogwarts. As with Harry Potter, nothing is too easy, but if at first if you don’t succeed, try try again, just don’t tell Yoda!
Amber is studying how to become an agent for Argon, in order for her to get revenge on the headmaster who abused her and her BFF. Along for the studying is Matt as part competitor, part colleague and perhaps part something more. Between the two, they form quite a team, but are they ready for their first mission, and is it only Amber that has a secondary reason for wanting to graduate?
As a character, Amber is a bit of an oxymoron of susceptibility and competence. I guess this is to show that despite all her skills, she still has an emotional aspect, driven by her time at Cleverland. Whilst her past at first glance, seems abhorrent, I am not all that surprised to be honest as it seems that every female spy / agent has had to go through some form of abuse, to the point that it is such a trope that it is quickly becoming the norm, which is a worrying thought. Jade Legardére has certainly woven a tight plot that works across the board, to the effect I was genuinely caught by surprise on the last page. There are a couple of things that I think will come back up, little touches that no doubt will reappear; the result , if I am right, will be an interesting read.
Butch Guise delivers another strong display of art, even if there is a love of smaller panels on show. I guess that this used at times to show the pace of the story, indicating that not just the action can be breakneck. There are lots of details on show, with styling similar to Paul Gulacy (Legends of the Dark Knight: Prey) and Michael Gaydos (the Black Hood), a mix of clean and scratchy lines. As hinted at in earlier pages, there is a moment of intimacy which is deftly handled with good use of camera angles, and with no words used, carries the emotion of Amber’s choice. On a side note, it seems that Guice is a fan of legs! The colors take a muted approach that carries the darkness inherent from the past, into the present effectively adding a level of depth to the story. Letters are provided by Christa Miesner and Robbie Robbins who have to work hard with the amount of dialogue required and the smaller panels; the pair do well to not impact the art.
This book and Amber in particular, still has a few surprises up it’s sleeve, thanks to the tight pacing and planning of Legardére, who is able to move past the the more obvious origin to deliver a character that, without Amber herself knowing, is in for the fight of her life!
Writing – 5 Stars
Art – 5 Stars
Colors – 5 Stars
[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]
Written by; Jade Legardére
Art by; Butch Guice
Letters by; Christa Miesner & Robbie Robbins
Published by; IDW Publishing
Author Profile
- I am a long time comic book fan, being first introduced to Batman in the mid to late 70's. This led to a appreciation of classic artists like Neal Adams and Jim Aparo. Moving through the decades that followed, I have a working knowledge of a huge raft of characters with a fondness for old school characters like JSA and The Shadow
Currently reading a slew of Bat Books, enjoying a mini Marvel revival, and the host of The Definative Crusade and Outside the Panels whilst also appearing on No-Prize Podcast on the Undercover Capes Podcast Network
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