Newburn #2
Newburn gets the job done, but is he someone you should throw your lot in with? That’s the central focus of this issue, as Chip Zdarsky reveals more about the character’s history without really revealing too much about the character’s history. (Yep, you read that right.)
Image Comics
Written by: Chip Zdarsky
Art by: Jacob Phillips
As was the case with the series-opening issue, Newburn #2 focuses on an organized crime-related problem. But, other than Emily’s involvement, this case does not link back to the one from Newburn #1. So, while there’s some benefit to reading Newburn #1 beforehand, new readers can pick up this issue and enjoy the story.
And this issue is a great place to get to know Newburn. While Emily is helping him solve the case, she conducts quite a bit of research on her new partner/boss. What’s more, she gets some advice that leaves her feeling a bit uneasy. And what Emily’s investigation does for readers is enhance their relationship with Newburn while he simply does his job without focusing on anything but that. I love that decision by Zdarsky; it really enhances the pacing of the story.
As for the art, Jacob Phillips’ work fits the tone of Zdarsky’s writing perfectly. It feels like Phillips’ art is how Newburn himself sees the world. Given there’s no monologue/narration and Newburn plays everything so close to the vest, it feels like Phillips’s work is the only way the character allows any connection with readers.
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 — available on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts and Spotify! For more on Newburn, along with some of Zdarsky’s other projects, check out his interview with TLDR.