Comic Review- Pearl #1

Pearl (2018-) #1 by Brian Bendis

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


One of the things buried in the Bendis to DC story is what about his creator owned story. His detective and noir stuff was what won me and many others to Bendis many years ago. Good new. DC is publishing these too. First off is a new series called Pearl followed by a relaunch of Scarlett and a (relaunch? reprint? I am not sure) of United States vs Murder Inc.

This is an exciting idea, pairing Bendis again with Michael Gaydos, so Jinxworld is indeed back.

And the comic? Well, I should just copy and paste my last Bendis review, but here goes.

Fantastic open sequence. Some 20 years ago or so when Bendis was the brilliant new Comics writer, he would often talk about David Mamet. The opening scene has that dialogue that pulls you into the story, and sounds like a Mamet movie. Gaydoes' art, of course, does its part too.

But from there, it's kind of a mixed bag. While I don't need a "A to B to C to D" plot, for a first issue, this does not seem too concerned with drawing the lines. I think if I had not read the advance news, I would be left guessing at to what exactly was taking place. Also, a strong lead character but secondary characters not as strong on first blush.

I am not sure quite where this is going. It seems to be a slightly different direction for Bendis, which could be a good thing, but I am still drawing some previous conceptions. It's a Yakuza book with a strong female lead, so maybe this will go in a direction like Rucka's Lazarus more than a typical Bendis procedural, which could be really exciting.

I am not really sure where this will come out. Bendis had some strong ideas in the past that weren't as fleshed out as hoped. Still, on the other hands, the review I have for this issue is probably a copycat of my thoughts when I first read Jessica Jones, and that has become one of his most defining titles.

Anyway, Bendis is back. Check it out if that means as much to you as it does for me.



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