Everyone can have a change of heart … even if they don’t physically have one.
Creative Staff:
Writer: Joe Brusha
Artwork: Marc Rosete
Colors: Walter Pereyra
Letters: Fabio Amelia
What They Say:
Rick Murphy is a regular guy who’s starting a new family and new career as a Philadelphia police officer. But when the rookie cop stumbles onto the wrong case, it triggers a horrific tragedy as his life comes crumbling down around him.
Devastated and broken, Rick is given the chance to seek vengeance on those who have destroyed his life. Now, with a dark and mysterious power at his fingertips, Rick can seek the vengeance he thirsts for, but will the darkness ultimately be too much for him to control?
Content (please note that portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Missy and Murphy have finally uncovered drug lord Talon’s true intentions, but now they must try to escape after being confronted by the draconian tyrant. He has revealed he has more in common with the former officer, but the gap between their powers is far more than any one can overcome. Even with Death Force’s own impressive arsenal, the kingpin continues to push his advantage, cornering the pair before his own overzealousness allows them to flee within a fiery conflagration. But even when they assume the pursuit is over, another comes after the duo, though with the greatest of luck, it is his former mentor and partner, Roberts. He had always thought that the evidence against his friend was bogus, knowing full well that Murphy would never murder Janine, but even now after the explanation, he is dumbfounded by the truth.
Once Missy sends the information they uncovered of Talon’s plot to all the major news outlets, this new team must now decide how to proceed. A frontal confrontation would never work, especially if the Major and Chief of Police are involved in this corruption. However if the press is able to challenge the leadership with these new findings, it may just present the opportunity for them to expose their involvement. After Roberts returns to the department, he verifies that their plan worked as the force is being sent to all of the proposed sites, except for the one on the waterfront. This supports that their superiors knew of the scheme, but if they leave even one area unprotected, who knows how many civilians will die. Murphy and Missy have only one option left to them, but is it the right one?
In Summary:
Since writer Joe Brusha has now shown us Talon’s true powers, this story is feeling more in line as paralleling Spawn, with tinges of RoboCop thrown for good measure. While the series first appeared to be geared more toward the latter, now that we have been exposed to Murphy’s otherworldly powers, the equivalency of him as that mystical avenger and his foe as the Violator cannot be denied. Although this similarity between the two books can be overlooked, the true attraction of the story is to watch Death Force being slowly drawn away from his path for revenge; but in conjunction to the aforementioned series, this similar story line was also in the Image comic, as we saw Al Simmons become the anti-hero we know of all thanks to Cogliostro – who in this series could be looked upon as Missy or Roberts. Either way, the premise of the narrative does have its moments thanks to Brusha being able to reflect this tale with the current violence in heavily populated cities; but the best part of this issue was Talon starting his villain monologue and then Missy chiming in about him ever shutting up – you cannot help but chuckle at that remark since most heroes always think that when their foe begins their tirade.
But as always it is Marc Rosete’s vibrant illustrations which establishes the mood of the book, with Walter Pereyra’s magnificent colors magnifying the emotional drama. It was a critical decision to start with a climactic battle, it successfully builds on the tension from the last issue – two alpha males facing off each other, whereby you can almost smell the testosterone in the air amid the burning sulphur; each panel brings the reader ever deeper into the story, the speed lines accentuating the force of the blows while the overly vivid shades of the backgrounds bring more attention to the central figure, both working synergistically to enhance the other. Light and shadow do their best to emphasize pivotal moments as if they are competing against the drawn faces of the actors, expressing their sorrow as they remember the past. Everything works in conjunction, neither has the spotlight for too long in this gripping action film.
Death Force tries its best to present a new spin on the classic melodrama of redemption, but it is falling into a familiar story line from which you cannot help but make comparisons. Although Brusha is trying his best to create an original tale about Murphy shifting away from revenge, there is always a tinge that he will stray back if the right circumstances pave the path to his ultimate goal. Hopefully we will be able to see this story through to the end without having to rely too heavily on the talents of Rosete and Pereyra, and that both writer and artists will be able to carry the reader on to what will be a rewarding experience.
Grade: B
Rating: For Mature Readers
Released By: Zenescope
Release Date: August 24, 2016
MSRP: $3.99
