Book / Week 24 - Newburn Vol. 1 (2022)
Written by Chip Zdarsky
Art by Jacob Phillips
Synopsis
Easton Newburn is a private detective without loyalties, investigating conflicts between rival crime factions. With his assistant Emily, Newburn follows murderers, arsonists, and corrupt officials – while trying to stay out of their crosshairs. But how long can that last?
This book really caught me off guard. I’ve always been a fan of Chip, but when this series was coming out, Chip had a LOT coming out. He was still working on Daredevil, and the Devil’s Reign event, and he was working on a Batman title, Batman: The Knight, which lead into him taking on the main monthly Batman title. On the creator owned side of things, Stillwater was wrapping up, The All-Nighter was coming out, and Public Domain. I knew this book was coming out – seeing it on the new releases shelves every month. I guess I felt I was already collecting a lot of Chip. A gritty crime story didn’t really grab me, but I figured I would eventually grab the trade paperback – which is what inevitably happened. If I follow a specific creator, I have a tendency to collect everything they do, one way or another.
And dammit if I’m not kicking myself now for not grabbing this monthly, but also reading it straight through uninterrupted felt good.
// The Story
The story is so good.
Easton Newburn is immediately recognizable as a tough badass character. Even though he’s an older gentleman, he’s got grit. Formerly working as a police detective, he found that the force was so corrupt, and not making any real impact. All the police officers were getting their own money on the side for looking the other way, he figured he might as well get his piece of the pie. But legally. Utilizing all his network connections, and experience working with the gangs, he decides to go into business for himself, working as a Private Detective for the gangs. His job would be to investigate gang related crimes, to make sure the necessary people get punished, to maintain order. To keep the gangs content and to prevent gang wars.
The gangs have a working agreement with Newburn to keep things fair. The police have a Batman-like tolerance with him. Newburn helps solve the crimes and the police get to take credit for it. He is kept on the payroll of all the gangs as part of their agreement, and one of the rules is that he is untouchable, because he represents every gang. Peace and order are best for business, for everyone.
The book starts with the investigation into a drug deal gone wrong, where he meets Emily, who is a neighbouring tenant to the unit where the crime happened. The crime details don’t initially add up as there were no drugs found at the scene, and the culprit caught on camera was carrying an empty duffel bag. Newburn discovers that Emily was the one that orchestrated the bogus drug deal, and instead of turning her in, decides to hire her on as his assistant. She’s a tough, smart girl, and Newburn figures he could use that extra eyes and ears for his work.
// Between the pages
As I mentioned, I’ve been a fan of Chip for a long time, and always enjoy his work. Some of this work I’ve collected include: Afterlift, The All-Nighter (previously included in this column, Week 7), Avengers: Twilight, Batman, Daredevil, Kaptara, Public Domain, Sex Criminals, and Stillwater.
Jacob Phillips is fairly new to me, but I’ve collected a lot of his father’s works, Sean Phillips, who collaborates with Ed Brubaker. Looks like Jacob is following in his father’s footsteps. His art is very good and very similar to his father’s. I like the painting style to the colours, and use of texture. Some of his works I have include: Where the Body Was, who he collaborated with Sean and Ed Brubaker, and The Enfield Gang Massacre. I haven’t collected the Criminal books, but they’re on my list. Might as well add That Texas Blood collections as well.
// Thought bubbles
I like the pacing in this book. The collected version for Vol. 1 is made up of issues 1-8. And each issue is one case for Newburn to solve, but there are some overarching story threads that continue through the book.
I think I read this at a good time, as it looks like Vol. 2 just recently released in May, so I’ll have to grab that to see how the story continues.
//
Next read:
Phenomena, Vol. 1: The Golden City of Eyes
Brian Michael Bendis (Writer)
André Lima Araújo (Artist)
Previously read:
Week 23: Suicide Squad: Get Joker / Wolverine: Rot
Week 22: Jupiter’s Legacy Vol 1-5
Week 21: Head Wounds: Sparrow
Week 20: The Incal
Week 19: Hexware