Aside from Joss Whedon and John Cassaday’s run on Astonishing X-men, I don’t usually write ABOUT a specific comic book run. I’ve written about comics a lot, but not about specific series and their greatness or weakness. This go around, I have something to write about.

A few weeks ago, I picked up the “Incognito” special print that combined issues one and two. Incognito, the project from the creators of “Criminal” – Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips, is just fantastic. I’ve picked up books that were fun reads, excellent reads, epic reads, but never felt particularly inspired to let go and utterly enjoy it.

I’m nearing the end of issue 4 and feel remorse like I haven’t with the prior issues. Why? The reprint was bought weeks back and I didn’t know what I was getting into. Once getting into it, though, I knew that I wanted to pick up issue 3 – and I knew it would be in the store. I bought issue 4 at the same time. So, while reading issue 3, I knew the end meant an immediate jump into issue 4. But now? Issue 5 releases on July 15th. I’ll be done with issue 4 by the end of the night. Two weeks. I have to wait two weeks to continue the story.

The story is about a reformed, by force for the most part, of a former superpowered bad guy named Zack Overkill. He now has a desk job while his powers are suppressed by government (SOS specific) drugs. He has basically been relocated like Witness Protection – but in this sense, he’s simultaneously being kept secret from his former bad guy bosses and also being held down so not to cause anymore trouble.

Imagine super powers with the wonderful void of integrity being wiped away for the life of a mundane desk monkey. That is wear Zack Overkill’s life is at the beginning of Incognito. That’s what he is – incognito. A super villain – incognito – but not only by virtue of an alter ego but due to the conflicting systems of the government led super friends and the splinter cell baddie group led by the Black Death. He’s caught in the middle because he really has no sides.

At some point, he learns of a way to suppress the suppressive gub’ment cheese to regenerate his powers. Then, as the only way to use the powers and stay under the government’s radar, he fights common thuggery. He doesn’t like the victims. He doesn’t empathize with the common criminals. He’s just a loner asshole that happens to be doing the superhero thing because it’s the only way he can be himself. Talk about incognito.

Eventually, the web he’s woven gets more complicated and he gets into further trouble with numerous amounts of people. And the fun never ends. Ed Brubaker writes an unflinching anti-hero and a story that’s full of mood and dark humor. Sean Phillips illustrates the mood and the pace magnificently. The colors, the shades, the progression of panels – all work and excel!

$3.50’s steep for a funny book, but Incognito is worth it. Since it’s on Marvel’s ICON imprint, there are no ads so it the story just flows. Besides, 51 cents for a gem is a steal compared to paying for the regular fare at $2.99 and reading another mini-story of a “6-issue arc”. Incognito works both as a serial and a monthly romp. Each issue has story worthy of a singular publish but also seamlessly moves the larger plot forward.

Go for it. Wait for those other stories for the trades. Don’t let me hog all this fun.

posted by breakfast boy@ 4:04 PM