The Smart Division #1

Dark Horse Comics

Written by Zack Kaplan

Art by John J. Pearson

Colors by John J. Pearson

Letters by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou

The Rundown: Two FBI agents team up solve the perfect crime.

FBI Agent Will Bailey is having some personal issues that stem from some personal drama and he has just been assigned by the Deputy Director to work with a new agent who is incredibly knowledgeable, but seemingly unstable both in how she works and how solves her cases.

Bailey joins Agent Stevie Larque on her latest case, the murder of a prominent cyber security expert and shows his expertise in pointing out that there seem to be no clues or evidence to the crime other than the victim. When the pair pay a visit to a potential suspect, their case takes an explosive and unexpected turn.

The Story: Kaplan crafts a thoughtful, engaging and intriguing mystery in this first issue. The characters are beautifully flawed and the framing of the story reminds me of True Detective with Bailey being interrogated about his partner and the case. I really like the premise of this story and the characters are compelling both in their personalities and their flaws. The crime itself is interesting as well and I cannot wait to see how this story develops.

The Art: Pearson crafts some beautifully detailed and visually engaging art that perfectly captures the tone and mood of the story both in the world of it and its characters.

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