When this was first solicited I took one look at it and thought what she’s a ballerina and he’s her bodyguard they travel the world and madness ensues. Boy could I have been any farther from the truth had I tried. Nathan Edmonson is currently writing the Activity a book I found by chance that I am enjoying immensely so I should have had the blind faith that this was going to be just as good. Well let’s just say I’ve learned my lesson and will blindly follow him from now on.
Nic Klein is the artist here and he does it all from start to finish. He pretty much nails the mood of the book on the head I don’t think it could have come across any more perfectly than it did.
I have to say I am extremely impressed with the mad skills Nathan shows us with this introductory issue. I mean opening up with the assassination and the whole scene with the boat and all totally had me going in one direction. The wrong direction I might add but then misdirection is a great tool if done right. Which by the way it was.
Then meeting our dancer it was nice and things kind took a different turn as we learn that she is near the end of her career and her boyfriend is ex-agency. This fit with the opening scene until we see that during their meal at an outdoor bistro when Alan notices they are being watched.
Quinn a nice girl from Ireland is the dancer she is in love with Alan and vice versa. She talks about relocating after her final show is done, with him to create a life together just the two of them. This dream is interrupted by the chase.
Alan isn’t who he thought she was as he tells after they are chased through the streets of Milan where he displays some very hardened skills. A specific skill set one might say perfect for a man or woman who works for a Government that sends them out to kill people. Oddly enough something else happens during this chase as those chasing them starting getting shot by a sniper letting them escape.
This is where we learn of the twist that well blew my mind and made this kind of an instant classic! Oh yeah read it to find out cause I’m not revealing it.
This series comes across very much like the Bourne Identity series but with that one twist. So action/adventure, intrigue, romance and the unexpected are all vividly on display here, it’s beautifully wrapped up between these covers. This truly is a gem of find and an unexpected pleasure.
Tyrone:
This comic is a tale of love and espionage, with a mysterious twist. The book opens with a slow and steady pace and ends with a bang. There are many books being produced by Image Comics at the moment and a lot of them are great. I would classify “Dancer” as good. There is not a whole lot bad with the story but for a first issue it just doesn’t pack the punch needed for a first issue.
The art was great, and the comic is very pretty. There was a lot going on in a short amount of time and I feel the artist Nic Klein really has done a lovely job at keeping the story grounded. The colors and feel of the art play like an old movie and I actually thought it opened like “Charade” but without the comic relief. There is a lot of good work in the issue and an elegance between panels. If there is a star on this creative team I would say Nic Klein takes the prize.
While the story isn’t terribly original, and there isn’t a lot of time to connect with the characters the writing in the issue isn’t bad, and the script was good. I think the play of the book worked well for the type of story being told, I would just have preferred a little more time to invest into the characters so the reader would actually care about what happened to them. The saving grace for the issue is the mysterious reveal of the attacker which is enough to keep me interested for the second issue of “Dancer.”
“Dancer” was a good read, and I am even looking forward to the following issue. I just feel that it isn’t as powerful as a first issue should be. There are so many great indie comics being made that it is important to grab the attention of your audience right off the bat and my worry is that “Dancer” may fall flat and pirouette into comic limbo.
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