Review: Loose Ends #3

The last issue of Loose Ends had me really caring and feeling for the two main characters. In astrange way they’re lives were connected from the time they met up until themoment they were thrown back together. With the third issue, the book kind ofshows them at their lowest and while it doesn't ask for any sympathy for thecharacters you’ll find you have none for them any ways.

All of the characters have made it to Florida and theirdifferent stories are slowly working their way to the center of the web andthere we are the fly in the middle. You almost feel bad for Sonny as it’sapparent that he’s the guy that always wants to be the “stand up” type, but heturns around and makes the stupidest of mistakes over and over again. The issue itself flashes backand forth between the present and past when Sonny and his friend were in themilitary. In the present Sonny and Cheri spend their time spending money thatSonny probably shouldn’t be spending and basically getting “high” to forget thescene at the bar.

Frankly I wasn’t crazy about the characters spending so muchtime doing drugs and basically avoiding the situation they were in, but at thesame time that’s what some people really do. I really enjoyed just how much ofthe story was told visually and some of the devices that Latour scripted forthe dialog as well. Latour does a great job with the story by trusting ChrisBrunner’s images to convey the emotion and feeling that’s needed rather thanhaving a caption narrating the obvious for us. There are so many pages thathave little to no dialog that the comic almost becomes a cartoon that you arewatching.

Brunner’s art is amazing. There are times when thecharacters honestly look cartoonish, but at the same time it plays to the worldand the setting. One scene in particular has Sonny yelling “Cops” on the otherside of a bathroom door and we’re shown the line of people outside of the door respondingto word. Its shows just how powerful of an artist Brunner is and how strongLatour’s script is. Of course the art wouldn’t be half as good without RicoRenzi’s coloring. Where to I begin on Renzi’s coloring? It’s some of the bestin comics hands down.

This issue of LooseEnds didn’t appeal to me as much as the last issue, but it’s still a greatbook which you’ll find for yourself when you pick it up. The simple fact thatthe art tells you the story gives the book almost an adult cartoon feel to it(minus the gratuitous sex) proves how good it is. There is just something about this comic that keepsme thinking about it and recommending it as it really transcends any othercomic out there. I truly believe that LooseEnds will be a book that the industry looks back at years later as anexample of when the medium changed.

Score: 4/5

Comments

[chris be]

dag, thanks mang! really appreciate the spotlight!

[Dustin]

My pleasure, really looking forward to the end of the series and what you guys have in store next!