[Comic Book Review] Image Comics' GUNNING FOR HITS #2

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[Comic Book Review] Image Comics’ GUNNING FOR HITS #2

Adrian Care

February 9, 2019

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PopCultHQ received an advanced review copy of GUNNING FOR HITS #2 from Image Comics. Available February 13th, 2019, the creative team for this series features writing from Jeff Rougvie, art from Moritat, ink assists by Noelle Raemer, and colors & lettering from Casey Silver.

Here’s PopCultHQ’s Spoiler-Free Review of…

GUNNING FOR HITS #2

Writer: Jeff Rougvie
Artist: Moritat
Ink Assist: Noelle Raemer
Colorist: Casey Silver
Letterer: Casey Silver

Cover Artist: Moritat

In Shops: Feb 13, 2019
SRP: $3.99

Against his boss’s wishes, Martin jumps at a chance to make a comeback album with his favorite classic rock legend. But an unwelcome figure from his violent past is about to resurface… Introducing Melch and his amazing rat trap! Plus: don’t miss this issue’s background feature and Spotify playlist.

Visit Gunning for Hits official website!

PopCultHQ’s Comic Book Review:
GUNNING FOR HITS #2

Hitman and A & R superstar Martin Mills is having a good day.

He’s just signed “next big thing band” Stunted Growth, and they’re already a success. Insider info nets him the possibility of his next big signing, and he’s the envy of the industry. If only his mysterious past wasn’t waiting in the wings.

Writing:

For a debut series, Jeff Rougvie is pretty good at this comic book stuff. A former A & R man himself, Rougvie fills this issue with inside knowledge of the music industry; it’s dripping with authenticity. The premise (and the clever title) is very original. The dialogue is West Wing and Mad Men-level good. The theme and feel reads like a Neil Strauss music bio. The pace is snappy and although there is only one real action scene to speak of, the read feels action-packed. Characters (presumably mostly based on real figures) are well-defined and well-realized. Even the single panel extras that have only one line, they speak with the voice of somebody who was right there. Rougvie has a knack for balance as well; he’s good at literary sleight of hand. Investing you deep into the music side of things before quietly pulling aside his jacket at the waist and reminding you not to forget about the guns either.

Art:

All-Star Western, Elephantmen, Harley Quinn, The Spirit, Aliens. Moritat is an artist that can draw you into to anything he puts pencil to. At times too simplistic, it never fails the story. Consider that this is a book that contains only one minor fight, yet feels like if you take your eye off the page for a second, you’ll miss the action. His backdrops and settings are instantly recognizable and perfectly rendered, yet aren’t depicted with any realism. His body language tells as much as a facial expression drawn by Darick Robertson, Kevin Maguire, or Steve Dillon. You can feel the heat and smell the sweat of his New York nightclub scene. But mostly, the effort and detail that has gone into the character of Brian Slade leaves you with no doubt of who he was based on.

Colors/Letters:

There’s something reminiscent of Lynn Varley’s work on The Dark Knight Returns in Casey Silver’s work on this book. Something akin to Kaare Andrews’ homage to that work on Spider-man: Reign. It’s clean and bright by day, but seedy and gritty at night. It’s yuppie scum and punk rock glory in equal parts. Married beautifully to Moritat’s artwork, the colors emphasize mood and setting as well as anything I’ve seen recently since Jordan Boyd’s colors on Deadly Class. The lettering has a crash bang indie sensibility to it as well. It aids the direction of the story, emphasizes the jarring moments and volleys the dialogue between characters with furious pace.

PopCultHQ’s Overall Assessment:

Comics with a music-based background are on the rise. With Phonogram, The Wicked + The Divine, The Fifth Beatle, Hip-Hop Family Tree, Black Canary, Punks Not Dead, and Rockstars giving more than a strong showing in recent times, this work feels like it should stand out and be applauded on sheer authenticity alone. The intelligent premise lends itself to some interesting and exciting possibilities. This feels counter culture in the vein (if not on the level) of Paul Pope’s work. It has sprinkling of Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso’s energy. If you’re a music fan, you’ll drink up all the inside baseball things working in and around the main plot. Definitely a new title worth checking out – just like Stunted Growth, it might even be the next big thing.