Loose Ends #1 Review

Loose Ends #1

Writer & Letterer: Jason Latour
Artist: Chris Brunner
Colorist: Rico Renzi
Publisher: Image

A review by Anelise Farris

Loose Ends #1 introduces a military vet, Sonny Gibson, who has agreed to travel to Florida to help run drugs. On the way to Florida, Sonny stops at an old bar in North Carolina, and this is where the majority of the action in issue #1 occurs. Although it seems that Sonny is stopping here to make amends (like dropping of some cash to a woman whose child he fathered), the evening turns out to be anything but peaceable, and Sonny ends up finding himself leaving town in the company of a waitress named Cheri.

Latour’s writing is solid, and he gives each of the characters very distinct voices and a clear Carolinian dialect. In that respect, Loose Ends #1 feels grounded, like a true Southern crime story. However, that being said, there isn’t a whole lot of dialogue or clear story progression. Loose Ends regularly moves from present to past, from the bar setting to the drug scene, and it requires a lot from the reader in terms of filling in the gaps.

So while plot-wise it fits well alongside conventional crime comics, it reads more like an avant-garde, experimental piece—especially in terms of the art. It has the grim and grit of a characteristic crime story, but it also has the trippy, surreal vibe of a story that refuses to be limited by conventions. There is a great energy throughout the issue in the dark, moody colors, which are balanced by the splashes of neon, and the compelling use of pointillism and overall pop art-esque style. While the writing in Loose Ends #1 is intriguing, albeit sparse, it is the gorgeous art that really sets Loose Ends apart.

The Verdict
Wait and See. If you are an art person—especially one who is attracted to the more unique high-energy kind—it is definitely worth your while to go ahead and buy Loose Ends #1. However, if you’re the kind of reader who also needs a well-developed story, one that doesn’t require the reader to fill in too many of the details, then I’d wait and see how the series progresses. Loose Ends has a lot of promise, and I’m hopeful that the story will catch up to the art.