Comic Book Review: C.O.W.L. #9

Conspiracy abounds and one of the C.O.W.L. has had enough of sitting on the sidelines. Is it good?

The second arc has finally hit its stride and gotten back to what made the first arc so enticing: strong characterization and good ole political intrigue.

The first sequence dives straight into the political intrigue, and also reveals another potential player. It peels back the onion on the happenings in Chicago to tie it to a potentially much larger narrative taking place within the United States. It is a nice reminder that the happenings in Chicago are not self-contained and choices have ramifications.

After this return to political maneuvering, Higgins and Siegel decide to refocus on the John Pierce story, which just so happens to have its own political machinations that has been left untold. They reveal some pretty big implications, but are still keeping most of this close to the chest only giving us information in bits and pieces that are nowhere near close to a whole.

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Comic Book Review: C.O.W.L. #8

Arclight spins a story while the city of Chicago tailspins into chaos on the back of Warner and Stone’s deal. Is it good?

Kyle Higgins, Alec Siegel, and Rod Reis open C.O.W.L. #8 with a dual story mixing and matching Arclight’s recounting of the death of John Pierce with an on-going kidnapping of Alderman Hayes. Rod Reis does a good job of switching the panels up not keeping a consistent pattern on each page. This creates an emotional roller coaster effect for the reader moving from disgust with Arclight to anticipation and even a touch of fear for Alderman. The two stories also have different speeds. Arclight’s interview is slow and methodical while the kidnapping of the Alderman is chaotic and quick. The dual stories draw you in, wanting more.

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Comic Book Review: C.O.W.L. #7

The Chicago Organized Workers League is back in full swing after the one-shot fluff piece on The Grey Raven in the previous issue. This issue dives head first into the aftermath of the strike and John Pierce’s murder, but is it good?

The book opens with a scene that is a drastic shift from what Chicago has been experiencing since the rise of C.O.W.L. It is somewhat comical how petty the crime is compared to the reality of the power play happening behind the scene. Another point of contention is the fact the criminal asks the victims to inform the police he was wearing a mask despite not wearing one the entire time the crime is being committed!

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Comic Book Review: C.O.W.L. #6

C.O.W.L. takes a break from the main story to dedicate this sixth issue to the man behind the Chicago Organized Workers League. The head honcho of C.O.W.L. reveals how and why he became The Grey Raven. Is it good?

Kyle Higgins and Alec Siegel take a break from the overarching story and the ramifications the strike will have on Chicago to introduce a publication relations fluff piece on Geoffrey Warner and his path to becoming The Grey Raven.

The road to become The Grey Raven began at a young age when starry-eyed Geoffrey Warner envisioned becoming a policeman like his father to help the people of Chicago. However, the road was not as straight and true as what the young boy believed.

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Review: C.O.W.L. #5

The Chicago Organized Workers League is at its breaking point. Geoffrey Warner is attempting to pull out all the stops to salvage the union, but will his efforts be enough or will the members of C.O.W.L. go their separate ways? More importantly, is it good?

After the chaos of the strike in the previous issue, the political landscape for Geoffrey Warner and C.O.W.L. is looking grim. His allies within the organization and outside are shrinking and shrinking fast. Even a once dependable ally in the media backs out claiming, “…eventually everything ends.

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Review: C.O.W.L. #4

The Grey Raven and the rest of the union are left in doubt, especially when Geoffrey Warner calls asking for Blaze to forego the picket line to handle a problem. Does Geoffrey Warner really care about the members of C.O.W.L. or is it all about political power? But what you really want to know: is it good?

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Review: C.O.W.L. #2

The Chicago Organized Workers League are back on the case, the case just happens to be dropping off Patrol Division Grant Marlow’s son, little Jack, off at school. It’s not as dry as it seems. Little Jack, the devil that he is, seems to relish creating drama for his Dad. It is a great sequence connecting to the reader’s own experiences as either a child or a parent and really sets the tone for the book.

Following the opening sequence, creators Kyle Higgins and Alec Siegel include a map of the city of Chicago with all of the different zones of operation for C.O.W.L. This is a nice touch that allows the reader to get a grasp of the geographical layout of the city and the distances the Worker’s League has to cover.

Rod Reis' artwork takes over the book from here. He is able to absolutely nail the timeframes from soldier’s uniforms to mobster’s suits everything immerses you into this 1960s universe. His use of colors emphasizes a gritty, hard world full of danger.

Complementing this fantastic artwork, is a great story that bounds in with a TV commercial propagandizing the beginnings of C.O.W.L. where they fought in what appears to be World War II. The way Siegel and Higgins write it has Reis’ artwork jumping off the pages and moving onto the TV screen. The TV ad, not only gives the reader some history, but also lets us peer deeper into the political mire of the actual C.O.W.L organization and introduces us to a new character Randall and his interactions with the Grey Raven.

The story shifts to the most intriguing character (at least in this reviewer’s mind) John Pierce, and the moral dilemma he faces as he combs through the discoveries he made in C.O.W.L #1.

John Pierce isn’t the only one with internal struggles, back with the Patrol Division, Grant Marlow, is being eaten up from the inside and doubting himself. This leads to a heart-wrenching action sequence. Reis’ art and Higgins and Siegel’s writing really tug at your emotional drawstrings as you are cheering and crying at the same time.

Just when you thought you were hit with the big cliffhanger, Higgins and Siegel aren’t done. Enter John Pierce. Pierce confronts Arclight and reveals to him the revelations he discovered in Skylancer’s apartment. The palace intrigue just got even more complex.

9.6	The palace intrigue continues to drive the story, but Grant Marlow and Rod Reis’ artwork steals the show tugging at our heart strings.

C.O.W.L. #1 Review

C.O.W.L. or the Chicago Organized Workers League written by Kyle Higgins and Alec Siegel with art by Rod Reis combines heart-pounding action sequences, street-cop detective work, with just a taste of palace intrigue to make readers crave more from this 1960s Chicago universe.

Higgins and Siegel jump straight into the action with the Workers League’s tactical division foiling an assassination attempt and tracking our would-be assassin, Skylancer, through the city. The reasons behind the assassination are unclear, but Skylancer’s villainy is on clear display as he guns down innocent bystanders while the heroes attempt to subdue him. Their efforts fail and they resort to ending him permanently despite a minor protestation from one of the team members. Perhaps there are already problems within our team of heroes?

Following this fantastic chase and action scene through the city, Siegel and Higgins introduce us to Geoffrey Warner, The Grey Raven, and C.O.W.L. Chief as he navigates his way through the city’s media addressing the necessity for C.O.W.L. and hinting at the largess of the organization outside of crime fighting as well as a potential political showdown between the Workers League and the City.

C.O.W.L. stands out for its ability to transition from story to story. This is on display as John Pierce, Grant Marlow, and Eclipse are introduced to the reader and the story takes a more street-level investigative tone. A darker, more menacing side of the organization is on display in the character of Eclipse and his interactions with a citizen, which is brilliantly contrasted with the more humanizing character of Grant Marlow as he worries over the actions of his son.

Following another slick transition from the patrol crew back to the tactical division, office politics are on display as a heated rivalry between Geoffrey Warner and Arclight takes center stage. There is even some sexual tension brewing between the lovely Radia and The Grey Raven.

Siegel and Higgins return to the patrol crew as their thorough investigation becomes fruitful and another excellent action sequence occurs this time exposing the reader to the patrol crew’s combat ability. The aftermath of the action sequence also highlights the distinct differences in job function between the patrol crew of Grant Marlow and Eclipse in comparison to John Pierce’s Investigations Division.

The final two panels are brilliant as they leave a fantastic cliffhanger, but also address the viability of the premise of the comic itself. “Will C.O.W.L. become irrelevant” asks a TV pundit to which The Grey Raven replies “Don’t hold your breath.”

9.3	C.O.W.L #1 is fantastic with the right combination of action, detective work, humanity, suspense and palace intrigue. This is a must have.