Hmmm, I got home to find the first issue of the newest DC/Wildstorm mini-series Garrison in the mail.  I knew nothing about it, never have seen a preview for it, didn’t notice it on the week’s release list.  I was a blank slate.  I wish it stayed that way.  Though the comic took me about 10 minutes flat to read, it was 10 minutes I’d like to have back.

The series written by Jeff Mariotte and art by Francesco Francavilla feels unfinished like it was a rough plot and script that was polished at all and given a green light on the first try.

The plot involves a serial killer who may or may not be protecting the agent hunting him.  We learn he’s a badass by the number of people he’s killed in his 9 week spree.  We’re not quite sure the motive for a character that seems to pop in and out with ease.  It may or may not be the future, as crime seems to have been dramatically dropped by some agencies I’ve never heard of.  This is bad, real bad.  Like, I feel bad to review and bash it bad.  Sigh.

Plot: The story just has no depth.  We know little about the lead agent, the killer just doesn’t seem ominous and the dialogue is laughable.  This is a serial killer series for folks who don’t know any better.  There’s promise in it all though, and with some rearranging of the events and some tightening of the dialogue, it’s an issue of could have been.  There’s so much better writing out there, I suggest you spend your money on that.  Rating: 4

Art: The art is just sub-par.  For a series about an agent tracking a serial killer you’d expect some gritty art and a lot of shadows and shading.  I didn’t really see much of that at all.  The character designs are laughable.  The killer looks like I could beat him up and in general there’s a lack of detail in the art.  This is just bad.  Rating: 4

Overall: I’ve already spent too many words on this review and I think you get the gist of it.  If you want a good story and some solid art involving serial killers, check out any of the Vertigo Crime graphic novels.  Overall Rating: 4

DC/Wildstorm provided Graphic Policy with an advance copy of this issue for FREE for review.