Written by: Paul Tobin
Art by: Arjuna Susini
Colours by: Gonzalo Duarte
Letters by: Saida Temofonte
Cover by: Juan E. Ferreyra
Published by: Oni Press
Oni #1’s press doesn’t get the coverage they should which is crazy considering they’re the home of The Sixth Gun. This fact alone will always lead me to try the newest book in their roster…and in this case, I’m so glad I did. Made Men is tough and gritty but not wholly realistic.
The story starts all action as the protagonist Jutte Shelley leads her team of fellow Detroit Police to an ambush where one by one each member suffers a horrific death. These pages are conducted with such visceral honesty that I’ve found it hard to forget about since. Jutte however survives and it is this twist linked to her family history that makes me desperate to read the next issue.
Paul Tobin is perhaps most famous to comic readers as the creator of the incredible Bandette and the terrifying Colder series so it’s no surprise that he is able to create another riveting storyline within the pages of Made Men. The internal monologuing is immediately engaging and draws you to Shelley in a matter of panels. Susini’s art combined with Duarte’s Colours is dark and gritty to the point that you can almost taste the blood and smell the pavements that these characters walk out. This is no small feat and makes me relish the searching out more art from this duo. Seriously this art is worth the price on the cover alone with the bonus of Tobin’s excellent script.
Made Men was billed as “action dark-comedy” and while it has plenty of action and dark, I’m yet to see the comedy aspect. However, with the aforementioned twist I see doubtless potential for it to have that morbid dark-comedy side. Jutte’s Grandmother has already been mentioned a few times and it appears that her story will have a few laughs. Mainly though, this is a dark and gritty crime book with realistic characters in a slightly fantastical setting. I look forward to reading more about this ensemble cast in future issues.
All in all, this is an excellent start to an exciting new series and one that I hope people will get behind. The team of Tobin, Susini and Duarte have created a world that you’ll be desperate to spend more time in.
Overall: 9.5/10
What about…Husband, Father and High School Teacher. Dreams of being a time travelling spy averting the robot apocalypse. When not geeking out enjoys creating music and watching cars go round and round a track. Waiting patiently for Timon and Pumbaa to enter the MCU. Overthinker.
