Writer: Brian K. Vaughan
Artists: Pia Guerra (p), Jose Marzan Jr (i)
Publisher: DC/Vertigo
The Plot:
After an encounter with a group of women who mistake Yorick's group for trespassing Amazons, we see Agent 355 reaches her limit when it comes to Yorick's reckless behavior, as once again he puts his life in danger while making an unnecessary heroic gesture. To this end she leaves him in the care of a former agent while she and Dr. Mann head in to get Ampersand's wound treated. However, the agent that Agent 355 leaves Yorick with does seem to have other plans for Yorick than keeping him safe.
The Good:
Well, it is nice to see a story being offered up that focuses squarely on Yorick as the last couple arcs have made the character a secondary character, so it's nice to see the main plot centers around Yorick. I mean this book's supporting cast is one of the strongest in comics but there are times when it's nice to see the main character getting some time on center stage, as with the notable exceptions of the battle with his sister and his efforts to save the returning astronauts from being blown out of the sky, Yorick has largely been shunted into the background whenever the action breaks out. Still this issue does a pretty fair job of capturing the idea that Yorick is the type of personality that thrives on danger, as he's having a grand old time when he's on the back of that quad with a group of women chasing them with rifles, and one also has to smile at his contribution to the rescue of his supporting cast. There's also a couple interesting plot twists in this issue as there's a cute scene between Yorick and Dr. Mann in which something about one of our characters is finally confirmed, and it should make for an interesting dynamic between the cast. There's also a fun little tease that Brian K. Vaughan drops about something called the Amulet of Helene that might just explain why Yorick is the only man left alive.
Based on the various interviews that I've read Pia Guerra looks to be quite enthused about this current arc, and this is always good to see as a happy artist is one that's inclined to stick with a book, and Pia Guerra is exactly the style of artist this book needs. I mean none of the characters look like action heroes, as Yorick looks like a skinny white guy who isn't going to set the world on fire with his looks, and even more welcome Dr. Mann actually looks like a doctor. I know I've probably said all this before but Pia Guerra's art adds a sense of realism to this book that makes it far easier to accept the rather fantastic premise that is at the core of this book. Plus it doesn't hurt that the art is quite impressive when it comes to visually telling the material, as I loved Agent 355's expression when Yorick steps in with his heroic gesture, and on the page where Yorick is drugged the art does a very creditable job of conveying the idea that he's passing out. Once again I'll issue a complaint about the cover though, as it reveals far too much about the story inside.
The Bad:
I'm not sure I'm completely won over by the big reveal on the final page as frankly the cover to this issue does a pretty good job of spoiling the surprise element, and while it may be creepy as all heck, this scenario doesn't really convey the idea that Yorick's in mortal danger. I mean the film Deliverance contains one of the more memorably disturbing scenes in movies but I simply can't work up the same level of menace when sexually aggressive personalities decide to accessorize with the leather suits and whips. In fact it's reached the point where the idea is used as more of a comedy device. Now Brian K. Vaughan has proven himself a very skilled writer, so perhaps next issue we'll get a look inside the head of Yorick's captor and we'll get a nice Kathy Bates/Misery vibe going, but as it stands I'm having difficulty getting to overly worked up, especially considering it's rather unlikely Yorick is going to be victimized next issue, as one of this book's more endearing qualities is Yorick's continually ability to dive in the deep end and somehow emerge none the worse for wear. Still this book has been exceeding my expectations right from the first issue so I'm willing to give Brian K. Vaughan the time he needs to convince me Yorick is in for more than a disturbing close call with a woman who has a few screws loose. I also found it a bit curious that Yorick didn't react when the Amulet of Helene was mentioned, as this seems like something that would raise his eyebrows.
Oh Thank Heaven, For Seven-Eleven
This book does seem to have thrive on a formula that I can't see working on any other title, as unless it's the final issue of an arc this book always seems to end with a cliffhanger, and in my mind I can't think of a single issue where I was disappointed by how one of these endings was resolved. This of course leaves me hopeful when it comes to this issue's ending, which didn't grab me quite as effectively as previous cliffhangers have. Now part of it was the simple fact that the cover to the issue pretty much spells out this issue's surprise twist, so the final page isn't nearly as shocking as it might've been had I gone in cold. However, seeing how Yorick manages to extract himself from this situation should be fun, and considering this woman is a close friend of Agent 355 we could also get an interesting situation where Agent 355 has to decide which side of this story she is willing to believe. This issue also contains another one of those ominous hints where Yorick is laying out the plot of "The Day of the Locust", and one can't help but notice that right up until the end Yorick could very well be describing the plot of this book.
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