Writer/Artist: Daniel Cooney
Publisher: Red Press
I definitely recommend this comic book to everyone. Not because Daniel Cooney is from Sacramento like me, because this comic book is absolutely OUTSTANDING! Meet Dana Valentine, she is the deadliest assassin you will ever meet! She makes Vin Diesel's Triple X character look like an amateur boyscout. In the beginning of this story, Dana was taken down by another deadly femme fatale named Sophia. Dana is not down for the count and is rescued in time by Kevin Harper of the CIA. Daniel Cooney takes you into a reality that completely absorbs you into the story. There is strong character development with all of the characters and I found myself getting attached to Dana.
Daniel Cooney introduces the reader to a dangerous dance nightclub called The Russia House where you can easily stumble over the foot of a mobster. Red Faction is a dominent evil force in this story and they don't consider themselves as mobsters, but as an invasion force. When you read this story, you will find out why. Sophia has only one thing in mind and that's to take out Dana once and for all. Sophia knows that she hasn't killed Dana and she's somewhat perturbed after being shot in the shoulder after Kevin Harper's rescue of Dana. Is the CIA involved in this mess? You better believe it. Plenty of action, adventure and intrigue in this story! Dana is absolutely gorgeous and even though she has plenty of scratches from her encounter with Sophia, she still is attractive. Dana is not someone that will sit idly and ponder out the situation. She wants her revenge.
There is a touching moment when Dana kisses someone that she is close to and that's a character named Spiro. Spiro winds up getting killed and this doesn't make Dana a happy camper. Dana is on the warpath and her sights are on Sophia! What makes this comic book so damn good is the fact that the story direction hits it's mark step by step. There is no time for a breather with this story, the story moves rapidly. Daniel is also a superb artist and you will not be disappointed as you move from panel to panel and admiring the fine details Daniel places in each drawing. There is talk of how you can kill dictators, mob bosses and dirty cops, but when you kill one, there is always another one ready and willing to take their place. Sort of like when John Gotti fell and the whole Italian mafia fell apart. Who took their place? Easy answer, the Russian Mafia. Cut the head off the Hydra and another head grows back. There are always someone on the sidelines, evil will never fade away and Dana knows that. She's out to make a dent against the evil elements of the world, a major dent.
Gunshots fall heavily towards the end of this story and finally Dana and Sophia face off for one last time. Dana has Sophia in her sights, the police come and yell for Dana to drop her weapon. Dana raises her weapon to the air as if she gives up and shoots down part of the glass ceiling. The glass breaks, falls and impales Sophia. Sophia dies a grisly death. What a powerful story. After I finished reading this baby, it stuck in my mind a long time afterwards! This comic book gets a standing ovation!
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