By Jay Faerber
Image Comics, 2015.
128 pgs. Graphic Novel. Science Fiction
Clara Benson, single
mother and tough as nails cop, lands a job as the new sheriff on a dusty
back-water hole of a planet in the wake of an interstellar war. Here and there
the reader gets tidbits of backstory- mention of artificial humans created to
fight battles, aliens bitter about the conquest, a separate peace treaty with
the mysterious natives- but the real meat of Copperhead lays in Clara’s
constant upheaval of the town’s expectations.
Every character in
Copperhead’s cast gets a full personality; without dwelling overlong on
exposition, Faerber manages to develop motivations and personalities that leave
the reader wanting more. Copperhead leans on common tropes for Westerns (Dukes
of Hazard fans will recognize the Boss Hogg breed of kingpin), but the science
fiction setting throws them into new and fresh light. The artwork is clear and
beautiful, and works well with the script to show the deep emotions of the
rough characters. Copperhead has action, mystery, and deep family loyalty woven
throughout; it is one of my favorite graphic novels.
JMS
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