Comic Book Review: Kingsman: The Red Diamond #1
Where do we go from here?
Rob Williams has been an interesting writer to follow. Despite a rough start on Suicide Squad: Rebirth, he found great success thanks to his wonderful run on Martian Manhunter at the end of The New 52. Where that character needed a strange, existential exploration, he often is just as capable of stories ground to the Earth. Here he does an excellent job following up the prolific Mark Millar by matching his hilarious satire of both pop culture and British living.
Kingsman: The Red Diamond #1 follows the conclusion of Kingsman: The Secret Service, 2015’s entertaining spy-thriller. Eggsy is right where we left him. After moving his Mother to a posh London flat, he’s forced to move her… back. It effectively juxtaposes Eggsy’s new lifestyle with that of his upbringing with great references to the modern day. Williams, like Millar, is deft at using modern pop culture to make the story more engaging and funny.
“Clothes” Make The Man
Dave Gibbons is a tough act to follow.
The artist behind the greatest Graphic Novel of all time, Watchmen, perfectly interpreted Millar’s satirical and hilarious script. While Simon Fraser is an obvious talent he doesn’t overcome Gibbons’ shadow. Some pages are quite detailed, with character close-ups resembling the work of Chris Burnham. Others are soft on the detail, looking more like Archie comic strips.
The colors by Gary Caldwell match well with Fraser’s style. He crafts a mix of well-lit doorways and dark, drearily grey alleyways. Much like the film and its’ comic origin, England is a character in and of itself. Once again, the violent end resembles the often-grotesque detail of Chris Burnham. A mysterious villains’ introduction reminds one of the Bond films of old, to great effect.
The Verdict
Despite a few visual hurtles, Kingsman: The Red Diamond #1 is a satisfying follow-up to its predecessor. Rob Williams effectively blends Millar’s humor with his own sense of weird. He sticks to the typical and successful Spy formula, but his penchant for originality introduces new elements both strange and cool.
Dave Gibbons work is missed, but Simon Fraser and Gary Caldwell bring London to lively life. The damp streets of England’s capital may not be thoroughly detailed, but they work quite well for Williams’ humor. With an intriguing villain and a good deal of characterization, Williams and company give Eggsy another great adventure for us to enjoy.
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