Posted in: Comics, DC Comics, Review | Tagged: action, dan abnett, dc comics, john romita jr, silencer, spy thriller, superheroes

The Silencer #1 Review: Mum's the Word and the Hero

Honor Guest is a mother and a wife who just wants to live a quiet life. She has a past she is trying to escape, but that is disrupted when a brute named Killbox approaches her in the parking lot of a grocery store with the intent of killing her.

I genuinely respect and am intrigued by DC's attempts to put out new and diverse characters in 2018. Silencer is a promising sign of what's to come, and it definitely leaves me more optimistic than Damage. I still hold that there is a vast catalogue of characters they could still be working to bring back, and they are doing that to a degree. However, there's nothing wrong with trying out new heroes like Silencer.

Don't misunderstand me, there are a lot of clichés in the premise and the first issue in general. The assassin who just wants to live a quiet life with the family until they're pursued by their old associates is far from a new premise.

Granted, that is a formula usually reserved for grizzled, battle-hardened manly man dudes, so it is nice seeing it applied to a loving mother instead.

There are some sweet moments with Silencer's family. Does it waver into saccharine? Yeah, it does in parts, but it still has its genuinely heart-warming moments.

The action beats are cool and creative. The fight between Silencer and Killbox is enjoyable brutal and elaborate. We get to see Honor's thought process during the fight which explains why she makes each move, and that adds a nice spin on the proceedings.

John Romita Jr.'s artwork is also a big reason the fight scenes look great. His gritty spin on the Jack Kirby style has always greatly appealed to me, and it mostly holds together well here. The main complaint is how lanky he draws women characters, Silencer herself included. It's actually quite distracting, even by Big Two comic book rail-thin beauty standards, which have been improved upon in recent years to be completely fair.

All considered, Silencer was a genuinely enjoyable and interesting read. It has its flaws, and they're not miniscule. However, the good does outweigh the bad, and I came out the other side of the comic pleased with the experience. I think you will too, so give it a try when it comes out. I recommend it.

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