Written by Jonathan Lincoln and art by Abhishek Malsuni,  Tracker #5 is a very interesting comic book.  I enjoyed the first issue I ever read in May (#4) and went into this the fifth issue (my second) with an open mind knowing the potential it had.  The comic is an interesting mash-up of an FBI procedural (sort of) with werewolves.  The two together works pretty well.

The first property from Top Cow and Heroes and Villains Entertainment comes to a pulse-pounding conclusion!  FBI tracker Alex O’Roark finally comes face-to-face and claw-to-claw with his maker – the serial killer Herod! But will Alex be able to control his animalistic instincts long enough to extract the sample of Herod’s blood to end his own suffering?

There’s a lot packed into this issue.  The big show down, the scheme to get to that point, some relationship drama and a twist ending that I can’t say I fully got.

My issue with these two issues I’ve read is I didn’t read the first three.  It’s a good comic, they both are, but there’s some built up drama I missed, and a bit of what’s going on that went over my head.  This isn’t a comic book you can just pick up.  This is a five issue arc.  It’ll read great as a trade and as a single issue it would have been better.  Overall I have to say, if you’ve read the first four issues you’ll enjoy the fifth.  For those that are new to the series, definitely pick up the eventual trade.

Plot: Lincoln does a decent job here.  There’s a lot left over for a second arc, but the major plot points seem to be wrapped up pretty well.  There’s some scenes I’d of liked to have had more detail (the assault on the FBI HQ) but in general the plot was enjoyable.  Rating: 7.25

Art: I like Malsuni’s art for the most part.  It doesn’t pop out and make me say “oh my god” but it does what it needs to do.  There’s a lot of shading being used and with the colors at time that’s very obvious and abrupt.  Not a whole lot of blending going on here.  Overall, decent art, but nothing to go crazy over.  Rating: 7

Overall:  The story and some of the dialogue was rather predictable but there’s enough here to make it enjoyable.  Seeing as I’ve missed three issues, I’m sure there’s a lot more to it, but sadly I don’t know about that.  But, it’s a fun read and decent enough that I want to read the first three issues.  We’ll see how a second arc holds up.  Overall Rating: 7.25

Recommendation: Read

Page count: 32 pages    Price: $3.99     Release: Wednesday 9/22/2010

Top Cow provided Graphic Policy with an advance copy of this issue for FREE for review.