Where do I begin to praise this amazing graphic novel from Vertigo Crime?  The story is fantastic and reminds me of some of the best crime dramas out there.  The art is top notch.  This has just blown me away and could easily ride the year to awards season.  Written by Andy Diggle with art by Victor Ibañez, Rat Catcher follows the aftermath after a witness in protection and some FBI agents are killed.

According to underworld legend, the Rat Catcher is a peerless assassin who silences mob informants.  There’s just one problem – he doesn’t exist.  At least, not according to the Federal agents who oversee the Witness Protection Program.

But now there’s a pile of dead bodies in a burning safe-house outside El Paso.  The Rat Catcher has finally slipped up, and a washed-up FBI agent has one last chance to hunt him down before he disappears again forever.  But as the two men spiral in towards each other in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse, each of them hides a deadly secret from the other – a secret that could destroy them both…

The story is just so solid, I want to read it again.  This is a crime novel of the top most caliber.  The story is a classic mob tale and to go further into what makes this great would give it all away.  I want more, now!

I’m just knocked over by the quality of this, and can’t recommend it enough.  Go out and buy it now, you won’t be disappointed.

Plot: Diggle just knocks it out of the park.  I wish I could have a book like this every week.  This is pulp crime drama at it’s best and just is fantastic.  There’s just enough emotional drama there to draw you in, and some fantastic twists.  This is an absolute buy.  Rating: 10

Art: Victor Ibañez adds some great to Diggle’s story.  The art is just solid as solid can be with a nice pulp feel to it.  Characters are unique, the detail top notch, and it’s a great example where the art just fits the book.  Rating: 9

Overall: Some of the best graphic novels are being put out on the market by Vertigo Crime, I just wish there were more of them.  This is such a solid crime drama, it deserves a big screen adaptation.  Absolutely fantastic.  Overall rating: 10

Recommendation: Buy

Page count: 181 pages    Price: $19.99     Release: Out Now