Stringers is a fast-paced, action-packed story following a couple of dudes chasing down the news. I dove into this one head-first, and boy did we go on a ride. Right off the bat, I love these characters. They’ve got great, established banter, their jokes feel old but not tired-- they’re old hat, like the habits that people cling to in times of high stress. Such as a car chase. Such as this car chase.
To be clear, our leads are not on the run. They’re the ones chasing. They’re not even the only ones chasing- they’re chasing the chasers. How many forms of “chase” can I fit into one sentence? Anyway, our leads are following a few cop cars that are chasing down some criminals who apparently isn’t ready to go to jail just yet. It’s a “balls out chase at 90 MPH,” and don’t you forget it.
It’s a few pages in before we find out our leads are called Paul and Nick. Buddies, coworkers, whatever you call ‘em, Paul holds the camera while Nick drives. Together they make a great team, getting that exclusive, raw footage for the news. It’s clear they’ve been working together for a while; they know exactly what they’re getting into and they know exactly how the game is played. There’s a brief appearance by “Speez the Sleaze,” a rival stringer, and it’s a hell of a rivalry that has Nick trying to run Speez off the road at 90 MPH. This is a cutthroat profession, there’s no doubt about it.
There’s a bit of mystery that we can expect to carry over: Nick finds a USB belonging to one of the gangsters involved in the firefight. It’s encrypted and so incredibly intriguing. Unfortunately, we don’t find out much more, as our leads have just been (dramatic pause!) pulled over. Considering what they just walked away- drove away? - from, let’s hope they’ve put the drama behind them for the night.
This story promises to be action-packed, giving readers an up-close look at violent crimes and high-speed chases. This first issue doesn’t just drop readers into the middle of the action, it sends them hurtling toward the story at 90 MPH. I immediately liked Paul and Nick, and their profession certainly keeps things moving. With a fast-paced story like this one, it can be hard for the art to keep up, but it certainly works. The colors are dark, and the images are zooming; there’s an undeniable sense of urgency as we move along the story.
So far, I’m sold on Stringers. The characters feel comfortable, the story is interesting, and the action is non-stop. I’m on board.
Score: 4/5
Stringers #1 Writer: Marc Guggenheim Artist: Justin Greenwood Publisher: Oni Press Price: $3.99 Release Date: 8/26/15 Format: Print/Digital