Let me tell you, this is a book I WANTED to write a review about.
The Recount: Preamble is a comic that reminded me not only of why I love reading comics so much but why I love reviewing them and talking about them!
Written by Jonathan Hedrick
Pencils and Inks by Ruben Gil Lopez
Colors by Lorenzo Palombo
Letters by Joel Rodriguez
Published by Scout Comics
The Recount: Preamble is a one-shot that reads as a precursor to the events of The Recount #1. It’s a realistic, action-political thriller that reads all too real in today’s political climate. From The Recount #1’s solicit:
“AFTER THE ASSASSINATION OF A U.S. PRESIDENT, THE CONSPIRATORS TURN THEIR SIGHTS ON ALL WHO HELPED HIM GET INTO POWER. BY THIS, THEY MEAN TO KILL EVERYONE WHO HELPED HIM ASCEND TO THE PRESIDENCY—INCLUDING THE ORDINARY CITIZENS WHO ELECTED HIM—ESSENTIALLY PLUNGING THE ENTIRE COUNTRY INTO CIVIL WAR. MEANWHILE, THE VICE PRESIDENT, ONE OF THE FEW SURVIVORS OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH, STRUGGLES TO PREVENT THE NATION FROM DESCENDING INTO CHAOS.”
VILLAIN ORIGIN STORY
If you’re a fan of Nocterra and read the Blacktop Bill one-shot- this issue serves a very similar purpose. How does one become the villain? The Recount: Preamble gives us the backstory to make The Recount hit that much harder.
Hedrick’s narrative design is magnificent throughout the issue. Stories use time jumps for many different reasons; for The Recount: Preamble, I felt the time jumps not only were necessary for telling the story but to building up that last, final page. The way the last page made me feel reminded me of the S1 finale of the TV Show The Good Place- you saw it coming, yet you couldn’t help but be gleefully enthralled- even shocked!!!
REALISTIC AND DEADLY ART AND LETTERING
Lopez and Palombo kill it on the art! The grit on every page really adds to how realistic this story feels. The Recount and The Recount: Preamble are stories that could very easily be real. That’s what makes it all the more thrilling and terrifying in its own right. The duller color palette Palombo uses helps put more emphasis on things like Lopez’s facial expressions. As a reader, I spent more time getting lost in the emotion of each page rather than the action- and that’s not for lack of action, but rather, there’s something behind each action. Truly, Lopez and Palombo are brilliant together!
And, I could NEVER forget Joel Rodriguez’s lettering on this book. Holy moly- if you ever hear someone trash letterers or lettering as a profession, show them this book. While there’s so much going on in this issue, each word is easy to read, easy to follow, follows well, and when words have emphasis? Well, let’s just say Rodriguez is not afraid to get it right!!
The Recount: Preamble is one of the best thrillers I’ve EVER read. Add this and the entire The Recount series to your collection today or be unprepared for what’s coming!!
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