“Patriots”
Writer: Tom King
Artist: Rafael De Latorre
Color Artist: Marcelo Maiolo
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Review by Philip Clark
Hitting the shelves this week is The Penguin #3. Following the highly impressive first two issues of this series, this week’s installment, sadly, doesn’t live up to the expectations set.
That is to say, it isn’t bad by any stretch of the imagination; the previous two were really just that great. If this were a stand-alone issue, or the beginning of the series it would be really strong.
The Penguin’s King
Tom King has written some of the best DC comics of the last decade, and this one continues his high standards. I have always enjoyed it when the characters that aren’t exactly in the headlights for DC, get their own series. King’s take on Cobblepot so far is the best I’ve experienced, in this medium, and we’re only three issues deep.
The Penguin’s always been a mobster, having seen the majority of the criminal underworld in Gotham come through his nightclub; The Iceberg Lounge. Most of his portrayals, however, have been in the ‘comedic’ vein, focusing on his umbrella and bird obsessions. King’s giving him a much more Goodfellas makeover, and I am all here for it!
A Black and White Bird
The lack of color is once again evident in this issue, as Rafael De Latorre and Marcelo Maiolo keep the focus on the rough and dangerous world they’re building. I can really imagine this being a gritty HBO show in a few years time. This series already feels like something that has been filmed and just transferred onto paper.
The movements feel so fluid on the page, from panel to panel, it’s seamless. Even the lettering goes unnoticed, mostly because there are no real faults with it; Cowles hits everything he needs to.
Conclusion
This week’s issue just missed a lot of oomph that the previous two issues had. Honestly, I think it was Penguin himself that was missing, as the issue mainly focused on other characters instead. The trouble is, they were… lacking in depth, although I’m sure King will make us fall in love with them through his incredible writing.
While this issue has been the weakest in the run so far, it’s still a very good comic that brings in some secondary characters that I’m sure will become important at a later date.
Images Courtesy of DC Entertainment
