Pulp-y goodness.
What They Say:
Now that the Green Hornet is out of control, only one man stands a chance of bringing him down–his partner, Kato! What’s the voice that Britt Reid is hearing–and is he alone in hearing it?
Creators:
Writer: Mark Waid
Artist: Ronilson Freire
Colorist: Mácio Menyz
Letterer: Troy Peteri
The Review:
Britt Reid is out of control. In his quest for social justice both as a wealthy newspaper owner and as the vigilante known as The Green Hornet, he has managed to alienate those closest to him and push his fight further than ever before. A mad bomber known only as The Voice has been terrorizing the city. Reid’s newspaper, The Sentinel, outs Winston Mills as the terrorist, but the article was based on faulty information and Mills attempts suicide because of it. While this is happening Reid makes a run for Mayor and Kato goes undercover to discover the real Voice.
I used to watch The Green Hornet when I was a kid. While it was nowhere near as good as Batman, it did have one thing that the Adam West show didn’t: Bruce Lee. Britt Reid was a nonentity—how could he not be when paired with Lee? And that’s where my knowledge of the character ends. I know of his pulp background, but I was always more of a Shadow fan. However, Mark Waid is writing this series, and that’s enough to get me to try pretty much anything.
Thankfully Waid doesn’t disappoint. Even coming to this series cold in the middle of a storyline, the events were easy enough to pick up and the plot, action, and characterizations make for a fun read. Moreover, Waid has managed to make me care for both Reid and The Hornet, which is a feat in and of itself.
Freire’s art and Menyz colors work well together. The quality of the art falls on the photorealistic side, but the use of shadow and color add a nice touch of atmosphere that highlights the events being depicted. The panel placement is solid as well with some nice bits of overlapping and play with gutter space.
The mystery behind Reid’s sudden turn, the promise of a fight between him and Kato, and the level of personality that Waid, Freire, and Menyz manage to inject into a character that I typically cared little about make me want to come back for more.
In Summary:
Mark Waid, Ronilson Freire, and Mácio Menyz have managed to write an interesting Green Hornet. They’ve revitalized a character that I typically cared little about and crafted a solid mystery that makes for a fun read. The artwork is solid and enhanced by the color work. Overall this was an enjoyable adventure featuring a classic pulp character. Recommended.
Grade: B+
