The Silencer #13
DC Comics
Written by: Dave Abnett
Art by: V Ken Marion
Inks by: Sandu Florea
Colors by: Mike Spicer
Letters by: Tom Napolitano
Sandu Florea has taken over as inker for The Silencer for the next three issues, starting with this week’s The Silencer #13. Combined with Mike Spicer’s colors, DC has found the perfect pairing of artists to illustrate the story of Honor Guest and Talia al Ghul.
Florea’s artwork gives both The Silencer and Talia the pronounced, commanding appearance they deserve. And The Silencer’s action panels in The Silencer #13 are as good as any put to print over the last few months—from any title.
The most impressive image comes right after The Silencer’s battle with members of the League of Assassins. The moment where she simply states “clear” after what appears to be right around a half dozen assassins represents everything she is in nutshell: a badass who doesn’t thinks she’s a badass—she’s just doing what she does.
DC seems to be taking it’s time with this character—all the while still providing some excitement—which is a good sign for the shelf-life of Honor Guest, as opposed to the other new characters from DC’s New Age of Heroes who are struggling to survive.
This issue goes into the story of how The Silencer met Talia and gives us a quick Spark Notes version of how their relationship developed. This is, of course, a flashback Honor’s experiencing while she’s revived in Talia’s Lazarus Pit. Because Talia killed her—because she wants The Silencer back in her life. What a great friend, right?!
But now I want more of The Silencer’s early days with Talia. Not right away, but somewhere along the line, this character may warrant a more in-depth origin story. For now, we’ll have to settle for the mess she’s into thanks to her old friend.