Review:
Like a steaming mug of dark-roast coffee, this fourth volume of Greg Rucka's Stumptown is a deliciously strong jolt. Based in Portland, Oregon, Private Investigator Dex Parios is given a sweet little assignment - to fetch three pounds of prized and very valuable coffee beans from a charter flight, and deliver them to their rightful owner.
But bring your gun, just in case, he warns her.
And so begins a coffee-fueled adrenaline ride. Within just a few pages, Dex is swept up into a swirling blend of excitement, threats and bribes. A coffee-aficionado billionaire, used to getting whatever he wants, makes repeated attempts to buy her off. Thugs from the Barista Mafia (no kidding!) attempt to highjack her en route.
And stirred into the mix is an unexpected visit from her estranged sister, Fuji. Their animosity percolates throughout and Dex must deal with some demons of broken relationships both past and present.
Author and creator Greg Rucka knows his way around a mystery, and the noir-ish stylings and sensibilities fit his narrative very well. His measured pace keeps the dramatic twists and revelations under control, giving us a smart, well-balanced read.
The visuals by Justin Greenwood have an unpolished feel to them in places, which lends a further air of grittiness to the tale. Charcoal-style shadings and the muted colors by Ryan Hill enhance and strengthen the visual treatment, so well-suited to these characters and the tale - there is no primary-colored spandex in these pages, just measured and buttoned-down visuals with a bit of a rough edge, much like our hero herself.
Ultimately, Dex's toughness and creativity flavor her choices, and make this story good to the last sip.
Description:
Portland's best private investigator Dex Parios is back and this time, the case is a real grind. When she picks up a simple assignment to escort a package of highly-prized coffee beans, Dex has no idea that she's stepping into the web of the Barista Mafia and eccentric billionaires with no compunction about using force to get the most coveted coffee around. And to top it all off, her sister is in town. Join Eisner Award-winner Greg Rucka and series artist Justin Greenwood (The Fuse) in this for this new softcover edition of The Case of a Cup of Joe, the fourth case in the critically-acclaimed Stumptown series
Authors: Greg Rucka
Artists: Justin Greenwood, Ryan Hill
Published By: Oni Press
Published When: March 26, 2019
Parental Rating: Teen
ISBN: 978-1620105795
Pages: 152 pages
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