Comic Review: The Suit (Dark Horse)

If you like action and gunfights, The Suit, a trade collection by Dark Horse, might be made to your taste.

As it mentions on the back cover, The Suit is written and illustrated by Dennis Calero. This volume collects all nine chapters of the story, originally published in Dark Horse Presents #3.

To summarize, The Suit is a family man, a suburban commuter. He takes the train to the city, reports for work, and then kills people. He’s a killer. He wears a suit, carries a gun, and uses any means at his disposal to ensure his company’s success.

The collected book flows reasonably well overall, but the nonstop nature of the narrative wears a little thin at times. Sometimes you want to take off your suit, and wander around in a t-shirt, you know what I mean? Take a break from the violent fighting and confrontations.

Some movies and books, and even comics have this formula sorted out; it becomes part of the rhythm and motif of the storytelling. James Bond, for example, likes to hang around with exotic women in casinos and takes risks that sometimes get him tortured. But we feel for Bond, because although he is living vicariously, he takes a break, removes his diving suit, his leisure suit, his business suit. Goes for a swim. Lives life.

Unfortunately, I found the limited scope of our character to be a limiter in my enjoyment of The Suit. In addition, while well illustrated by Calero, (and to write AND draw your own continuing saga must be all-consuming), there are times when it is difficult to understand what is going on. Who is having nightmares? Is this the guy we saw a few pages ago, or is this guy someone else? Could the story have had more complexity and nuance, giving us more to suit our fancy?

In addition to the stitched-together chapters, The Suit also contains a section of Layouts, Cover Sketches, and Script Samples as bonus material.

Dark Horse, The Suit, $12.99 for 100 pages, Rated 14+