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Published by: Dark Horse Comics
Released on: Feb. 19, 2014
Writer: Frank Barbiere
Artist: Toby Cypress
Cover: Toby Cypress
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A man with a past, a very violent past, can only recall bits and pieces of who or what he is, and this is of course troublesome to him. And also troublesome is the fact that a woman keeps following him and watching him, and that doesn't sit well with the confused soul. Before too long, she'll need to be answering some questions for him. =Although he can't recall who he is, he's quite confident has more skills in the game than she does, so he's not worried about confronting her. He should be.
Meanwhile, the headquarters for some gang of thugs gets a visit from a certain gun-toting urban legend group named The White Suits. Things don't end up pretty for the gang, unless the color of their own insides is a color they relish. And meanwhile to that, a man in a red shirt holds a meeting with crime bosses in the area to discuss the problem of the White Suits, as the massacre at JJ's was captured on video surveillance and they all just got to watch the action. Like any smart scumbag who makes a living at the pain and suffering of others, he sees the Suits as a major threat and suggests all the crime outfits work together to handle the problem. And he shows them just how serious he is in the way he handles one of the bosses when said boss doesn't buy into Red Shirt's idea of unity.
Who are the White Suits? Who is Mr. Short-term Memory? And who is the woman following him? What about the dude on the red shirt? These are all excellent questions that if you read the Dark Horse Presents story back in issue #11 (of Volume 2), you might know to some extent. Not having read that one, this reader is in just as dark a room as anyone else jumping on to the story of the White Suits for the first time with this issue #1. It seems evident reading the DHP book won't be required to enjoy the series as it unfolds.
The creative team on this book has managed to do two things with success: 1) lay the foundation for a multi-layered story containing espionage, revenge, and redemption that feels like it will be wildly entertaining, and 2) create a visually fascinating book with a unique looks that gives the story a seedy and almost dirty feel to it. Toby Cypress' black, white, and red artwork at first was a bit chaotic feeling, but very quickly proved itself to be absolutely perfect for Frank Barbiere's script. He brings an energy and intensity to nearly every page that a more “polished†art style might not be able to convey.
This inaugural issue should quickly convince the curious reader looking for a story to latch onto that they have found one with The White Suits. The Cold War, ultra-violence, mystery, and no cell phones...who doesn't want a ticket on that kind of ride?
