I have but two words to describe and depict this issue #3 of Shutter… those words??? BOMB GUN”. Those two words describe what’s up with this issue, and that would have been enough. But Joe Keatinge and Leila Del Duca don’t even come close to stopping there. They go to “BOMB GUN” and circle around it, jumping back, forth, and even sideways sometimes. They capture the whole picture. And it is in that attention to detail that makes Shutter a must read title. It is a little bit weird, a little bit odd, and a whole lot of awesome. Following the life and adventures of one Kate Christopher, a retired adventurer extraordinaire (at age 20 no less), Shutter tells the story of what’s next. It is in that next where lies the excitement and action laid out in an impressively entertaining format. Now three issues in, it appears that Ms. Kristopher is a much wanted lady, but not in a good way. Person (or persons) want her dead and it looks like it might just be some previously unknown siblings of hers who are responsible.
That’s the simple story. Joe Keatinge takes this to a different level by covering all sides of the story. We see motivations of the hired killers. We see aftermaths of actions by the “bad guys”. And of course, we see flashbacks that help to lay some railing to this story that travels outside of the rails. It is a complex and thorough story that keeps you guessing to what will happen next.
With this issue, the “BOMB GUN” starts things out. A rather large and powerful bomb bullet takes out Kate’s apartment and hits her to her core. In response to the destruction (and with no place to live), Kate ventures back to her family estate. Waiting for her there may just be the most loyal butler there ever was as well as some mystery elements. All of it spells for detailed reading that floods your senses in several ways. Keatinge’s writing flows like a magic fountain dazzling the reader at every turn. You just don’t know what to expect.
What I am learning to expect however is that Del Duca’s art renderings take Keatinge’s magic fountain and add the substance to it. It is all incredible. The aforementioned butler… a pumpkin headed nurse… predatory cats in street clothes, hanging out…. everything!!! It all adds such detail to a world that can only be described as futuristic and fantastic. Del Duca has provided the visual magic to Keatinge’s writing, making for an overall story of extreme detail and precision.
To say that I have become an instant fan of Shutter is a huge understatement. I am totally digging the quirky cool vibes that have flowed solidly for three issues. And it looks like there is no letting up. Nice big multicolored bombs have been dropped (literally) that continue to astonish, amaze, and make me want more and more. Keep up the good work guys. You definitely have a fan in me.
Score: 5/5
Writer: Joe Keatinge Artist: Leila Del Duca Publisher: Image Comics Price: $3.50 Release Date: 6/11/14 Format: Ongoing, Print/Digital