Review: Pretty Violent #9
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writers:Â Derek Hunter and Jason Young
Artist:Â Derek Hunter
Colors:Â Spencer Holt
Reviewer:Â Tony Farina
Summary
With rumors that a mole has infiltrated the heroes’ compound flying, Gamma Rae can’t trust anyone. The only thing she can trust is her eyes-unfortunately for her, her enemy is The Unseen!
Positives
Pretty Violent #9 is maybe the best issue in this series to date. I will be honest and say I did not really see it all coming. There is no reason to love Gamma Rae like I do, but I just do. I feel bad for her. She just wants someone to like her. She just wants some to respect her. She just wants, needs and is begging for anyone to tell her she is good. The metacommentary here by Young and Hunter is so spectacular. Show me one kid who has not felt betrayed. Show me one kid who has not, at some point, been so deeply in love with something only to find out later, it was all a lie. We lie to our kids all the time right? Santa, Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy or in this case, super heroes. The heart of this book is all about what it means to be a hero and Gamma finally thought she had it all figured out. Man. What a kick in the teeth. I applaud Young and Hunter for having the courage to do it. Sure, there are jokes about eating testicles in this book, but the fact that they can have both a thoughtful conversation about heroism, while a zombie eats testicles is kind of brilliant.
As always Hunter and Holt just show off. They treat gore with respect. The gore is there because it is. The gore is part of the story. Without it, the story falls apart. I appreciate that they never pander and believe it or not, I think they actually show restraint. Every single gross thing that happens, happens for a reason. I love looking at these pages. Holt has slowly climbed onto the podium of top colorists. He can stand next to Dave Stewart and get a medal. Don’t believe me? Just take a look.
Negatives
Pretty Violent #9 is flawless. I mean, if you hate things that are awesome, you can pick a nit.
Verdict
Pretty Violent #9 shows that Hunter and Young have a plan. This book, which is so funny and so thoughtful and so meta, now has some brilliant commentary about the nature of power. It is so incredibly good. Now I wait another month to be wowed again.
