The Occupy protests didn’t seem to have a substantial effect on congress, but it left an admiral impact on culture. Sure, politicians aren’t sticking it to the banks, nor are taxes rising on the super-rich, but stuff like Cloaks exists. This new mini-series, published by Boom! Studios, written by Caleb Monroe, and drawn by Mariano Navarro, follows young Adam, an illusionist who uses his talent to steal from the corruptly privileged Wall Street fat cats and give to the less fortunate. It’s a decent comic, with some clever espionage and feel-good heroics, but it isn’t without its bits of dullness that drags things down.

The protagonist of Cloaks is easy to get behind and like, due to his suave moves and strong, edgy ethical code. A few of the sequences are genuinely exciting in their cleverness, one particular scene taking advantage of Ed Dukeshire’s lettering to deliver a seamless effect that really only this medium can. Other parts are enjoyable in an almost cheap way, like when he sells stupidly expensive and stolen watches to pay for the rent of a favorite orphanage of his. The book does a solid job of juggling action and more down-to-Earth moments.

Unfortunately, Adam’s motivation is glossed over in this first issue, giving his characterization less of a kick. There are hints that his troubled, perhaps poverty-stricken upbringing may have developed his strong devotion to his Robin Hood morality, but it’s vague. On that note, the art works just fine, but is boring to look at. Facial expression and body image are done without issue, but it’s far from memorable.

It’s far from a bad comic, but not something that impresses more than a few times throughout the read. It’s decent.

Story: Caleb Monroe Art: Mariano Navarro
Story: 7.0 Art: 5.5 Overall: 6.75 Recommendation: Read

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BOOM! Studios provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review