Making its debut in this month is Head Wounds: Sparrow, an exciting comic project overseen by Moon Knight and Star Wars star Oscar Isaac along with a wealth of comic talents. No one would call Leo a good person – much less a good cop. But when his best friend is shot in front of him, he wakes up with a hole in his own head that only he can see, and a host of mysterious strangers calling on him for action. Most people go about their daily lives ignoring or unable to see the divine battle for Good and Evil raging around them, but it has just become very very real for Leo. As angels and demons vie for the fate of humanity, he must choose a side or risk seeing everyone and everything he has ever known destroyed as the stakes get higher and higher. As Leo sees the true faces of the people around him he must decide – will he do what’s best for him alone, or follow a higher purpose?
To say this a collection of top talents would be an understatement. Oscar Isaac has been a major star since his role as Poe Dameron in Star Wars; and his recent roles in Dune and Moon Knight have cemented him as a force to be reckoned with. He together with original creators Robert Johnson and John Alvey oversee the project. Handling the writing is veteran comics writer Brian Buccellato who has had memorable stints for DC Comics on Batman, Flash and Injustice. Then on the art front, we get the psychedelic and wildly creative/colourful art of multiple Eisner winner Christian Ward who has wowed comic readers with his work on Black Bolt and Thor for Marvel; and the sci-fi epic Invisible Kingdom for Dark Horse.
Whilst an amazing team of talent is not always a guarantee of success, Head Wounds proves to be a winning formula. The fantasy elements merged with cop drama is a fresh idea and the plot plays to the strengths of the creators involved. Buccellato’s does a great job fleshing out Leo who at his core wants to do the right thing but doesn’t exactly have a good track record. Buccellato also never loses sight that this a cop drama despite the fantasy elements; and creates a wonderfully gritty tone. Ward meanwhile continues to be one of the most visually creative comic artists in the game. The use of colours are perfect as always with plenty of trippy moments that give him full licence to go crazy with his palette. That said, it’s nice to also see him handle more subdued moments in the cop drama parts that lets him show off his range as an artist even further.
You can’t go wrong with any of the talent involved in this graphic novel and there is a great deal of crossover appeal across the board. Whether you’re a fan of crime drama, fantasy, Oscar Isaac, Brian Buccellato, Christian Ward or all of the above – Head Wounds is definitely a must read.
Head Wounds: Sparrow is out 20 October from Legendary Comics (9781681160900, h/b, £22.99)
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