Writer: Brian Azzarello (@brianazzarello)
Art and Colors: Eduardo Risso
Letters and Design: Jared K. Fletcher
Reviewed by: Deanna Chapman (@deeechap)
Moonshine is the new Image title from Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso. The story revolves around Lou Pirlo going out to visit Hiram Holt, who makes the best moonshine Lou has ever had. He’s there to make a deal for his boss, Joe Masseria, who wants the moonshine in New York. And with me largely focusing on DC and Marvel lately, reading a non-superhero comic is a nice change of pace.
When the comic starts, it’s a little unclear what exactly to expect. We see an attack on the men, but it’s not obvious what they were doing. From there, the comic moves on to Lou Pirlo. Azzarello does a nice job with introducing him and giving us a narrative that quickly allows us to understand his character. When he meets Hiram Holt, it’s immediately obvious who he is and what he does. The story is well written and the various dialects for Virginia and New York add to the accuracy of the different characters and their backgrounds. With the comic talking place in the prohibition era, it’s reminiscent of Boardwalk Empire.
Eduardo Risso is on arts and colors and is fantastic as always. The facial expressions throughout are fantastic and could tell the story just as well without words. The tones are perfect for that small town, backwoods feel. He truly has a stunning art style. Jared K. Fletcher is on letters and design for this series and he does a great job with emphasizing just the right words. It’s clear what is narration and what is dialogue, even when both tie in so well. They’re also in position so that they don’t obstruct any of the art.
This creative team is a fun combination and a hard one to ignore. You have big names on an Image book, and that tends to go well. It’s also worth noting that this comic is definitely not for kids. The comic has a mature rating for a reason, and you quickly see why in the first few pages.
Verdict: Buy. Take a break from the big events of DC and Marvel with this new number one from Image. It’s a well done comic with a bit of a strange ending that will leaving you wondering what’s next. And if anything, buy this book simply to take in the art of Eduardo Risso. I haven’t read much that he’s worked on, but that’s something I’ll have to fix ASAP.
