Writer: Marc Andreyko
Artists: Javier Pina and Fernanco Blanco
Publisher: DC Comics
It's One Year Later, and anyone who's been promising to give Manhunter a try would do well to jump on now! Marc Andreyko has crafted a thrilling, funny, and new-reader accessible tale, speeding Manhunter Kate Spenser's story along while giving new fans a rousing introduction to the lively cast of characters.
Manhunter and Obsidian sweep the streets with hokey bad guys Punch and Jewely. As her son Ramsey learns moviemaking lingo from his father the director, Kate Spenser gets a visit from an old friend whose undergone a major change. While basking in the glow of her new status as true-blue superhero, Kate gets a nasty shock when her day job as defense attorney has her teaming up with Dr. Psycho.
First impression: what an incredibly fluid, fleshed-out world. Though many comics promoted as "great jumping on points" are anything but, Manhunter #20 serves as such a solid introduction that it could work as well as a first issue. Of course, readers who have been on board from the start will no doubt get little surprises and new twists that recent converts would miss, but the fact that this issue works so well on both levels is a testament to Andreyko's writing skill. After only one issue, a reader wants to see more of Kate Spenser, her family and friends, and the villains that make her life difficult.
Pina and Blanco's art is in the superhero standard, not drawing attention to itself but doing a terrific job of keeping the story vivid. Despite the aspects of crime drama inherent in Kate's story, the art team makes no apologies for the colorful superheroics at the heart of the series, a welcome change from the tendency to play up "gritty street-level realism" at the expense of bright colored, lighthearted adventure.
Manhunter makes the most of the one-year leap, providing an excellent point of entry for those who may have overlooked the series before. A standout in every way, this is one title that everyone should add to their lists.
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