As part of the challenge I issued to all of our writers this week, we are each supposed to pick a book that we would not normally read and review it. This brought me to Sinister Dexter #1 from IDW Publishing. This comic was originally published by in 2000 A.D., the U.K.’s long running comic magazine. In looking into the general background of the series there were some interesting facts. Sinister Dexter is another one of IDW’s great reprint books where they take previously printed stories from 2000 A.D. and color them, similar to Doctor Who Classic and Judge Dredd Classic.
Sinister Dexter tells the tale of two gun sharks, or hitmen, in the town of Downlode, a city that stretches across of most of Europe. Finnigan Sinister, an Irishman with a penchant for swearing and big guns, and Ramone Dexter, the smooth and sophisticated partner who had TV’s implanted in his eyes, take on whatever contract comes their way. Sinister Dexter #1 is broken up into two stories of this team.
The first story, “Money?Shots,” focuses on the teams hunt of a porn start who is only excited by violence. As the title portends, you get quite a few gratuitous boob shots and more than a few sex puns, although they are very funny. Nothing about this story is tasteful, but it is a sleazy romp and full of great art and fast paced action. No superheroes. Just sex and violence. I liked the story and it had some little twists, the writing was good and the action was there.
The second story is called “Point Blanc” and takes place during the Big Freeze, some of the coldest weather that Downlode has ever experienced. So much for Global Warming. Huge snowstorms and grating winds will not stop Sinister and Dexter from going after a high value contract.
This one gets a little bloodier as they chop up some guys with their snowmobiles and shot some guy in the face. Things get more intense as they have to dodge heat seeking missiles. Again, a lot of action, some massive weaponry, and the witty reparte of the team doesn’t leave me wishing the book was better. While this is not a book I normally would have picked up, it was an interesting look into some of the other offerings of a classic publisher, 2000 A.D. who has brought us Judge Dredd among other great characters over its long history.
Written by Dan Abnett and drawn by Andy Clarke, Sinister Dexter #1 is a good down and dirty bounty hunter type book. If you like the hard hitting violence and sex and language usually reserved for R-rated movies, this is the book for you. I will caution you that this is not a book for kids, there is language, blood, naked parts, and lots and lots of guns. An interesting read and it got me to read something I normally wouldn’t.
