Enter Stanley, a drifter, a grifter, a con artist, and charmer. He’s broke and back in Vegas, to do a favor that could land him some cash, or a broken jaw.
What a joy of a comic to read, from the very first panel right to the last. The writing is clever without being smarmy. The atmosphere shades itself through the story, adding depth of experience (the new Vegas strip and the old Vegas watering holes on Fremont feel authentic). The characters are familiar archetypes but freshly painted and somehow completely original.
We want to know more about Stanley, his friends, and foes.
The artwork is also fresh; the facial caricatures remind me sometimes of Mort Drucker (MAD magazine). Panosian’s draftsmanship is strong, his gestures are believable, and the limited palette of colour really fits the atmosphere of the story.
Without giving much of the story away, I strongly recommend this title; as Dan Panosian himself writes, ” Writing and drawing this book has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. It’s also been scary.”
Well worth your $3.99
Newsdesk