This is the best first issue of the Scottober books that have come out from ComiXology so far. In general, one of my favorite issues of 2022. Already had high expectations for this series, but Scott Snyder and Dan Panosian have elevated my view of Canary to a new height already.
ComiXology
Written by: Scott Snyder
Art by: Dan Panosian
Letters by: Richard Starkings
From the jump, Panosian’s style fits the Old West vibe perfectly. And once the gritty tone is set, readers get this grizzly image as the main character is introduced.
Marshal Azrael William Holt. A dime novel hero, who is much meaner than fiction indications. But as he gets set on his new case, which is far-reaching, Holt has to face something that has him unsettled — something from his past. Very excited to see what has this ruthless lawman rattled.
Either a badass main character or a promising plot is enough to propel a title forward. Canary has both, and it features two mysteries. Instead of a whodunit, it’s known who committed these crimes. It’s the “why” that readers and Holt have to find out.
As far as pace goes, Canary #1 seems to move a bit faster than a normal Western. By no means is the tempo breakneck, though. You might get whiplash from the wild developments in this series-opening issue, but the pace isn’t out of control. With a Western, you wouldn’t expect it to move that quickly, although it’s nice to have a slight uptick from the norm.
The sky’s the limit for Snyder, Panosian and Richard Starkings.
Honorable Mention: Nightwing #94 – Grim #3
Looking for more comic book content? Go check out the latest episode of Geeks WorldWide Radio‘s TLDR podcast, where Joseph Gilmore and Nick Friar discuss comics weekly and talk to creators from the industry!
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For more on Canary and Snyder’s other books from ComiXology, check out his interview with TLDR!