By Clyde Hall — While the lethal crime cases solved in each issue of Newburn are excellent stand-alone fare, one-and-done mysteries of such brevity they allow a backup story every issue, “Luck Ran Out” in #5 may be the most masterful yet. On the surface, it’s simplicity itself. A closer examination reveals an elegance married to practicality that not only epitomizes this series, but the character of Easton Newburn himself.

And it’s certainly a story which is his alone. The tale open as he’s introduced to his cellmate on Newburn’s first day in prison. Because our Private Investigator/Crime Syndicate U.N. Ambassador has been found guilty of murder, and though he proclaims his innocence, it appears a jury thought otherwise. With Newburn, looks are always deceiving, so immediately there’s suspicion on the readers’ part that this is some elaborate sting operation of the detective’s construction. As his incarceration unfolds, however, nuances are expertly applied.

For Newburn, there are many familiar faces in prison, faces he put there, making the wisdom of any plan placing him in this amount of harm’s way either very gutsy or very foolish. Maybe both. One unfamiliar face is the cellmate, Sal, but the two men find they have one thing in common: They are quite adept parlaying knowledge into survival currency.

Newburn’s ability with information commodity trading is effectively showcased in a confrontation with inmates he’s had convicted. Sal’s demonstration comes later, and it once again spares our hero serious injury. The final portion of the story finds the mystery solved and Newburn once again a free man. But it also addresses the application of knowledge as power and the misapplication of same, in a satisfying, clever wrap up.

From the merest inference of the murder Newburn’s seeking answers and culprits for, to the revelation of its solution using very limited dialogue and few outside characters, writer Chip Zdarsky exhibits his command of narrative. He conducts a storytelling masterclass which leaves other crime drama comics looking bloated with their attempted, twisty forms of erudition.

Artist Jacob Phillips punctuates the spartan elements of the story by focusing on its equally spartan setting. The cinderblock conformity of incarceration is barely reprieved with an exercise period in the prison yard. The rest is kept simple, backgrounds blank or missing as often as detailed.

Readers who enjoy the exchanges between Newburn and his cohort, Emily, may be disappointed. Her appearance in the story is very limited, though her exposition places a bow of crime scene tape on the narrative itself. There’s also a tiny suspension of disbelief factor regarding the American justice system. It’s known for failure to act in a timely fashion (or at all) when exonerating evidence comes to light regarding an incarcerated prisoner’s innocence. Once someone is convicted and incarcerated, getting a verdict overturned easily is the stuff of TV and fictional story convenience. Even so, Zdarsky addresses such concerns with one, evasively beautiful, statement. Because Newburn always has plans. Plural.

The first entry in a new backup feature, “Spook-A-Rama” presents an effective ‘failure of justice to deliver’ story written by Casey Gilly. How would we react if our best friend, Veda, the living proof our odd way of looking at the world and reveling in the unusual was not a fluke, was murdered? What if the one person who drew us from cold, indifferent shadows into her warm and comforting shadowlands of nonconformity was taken from us? What if we were the one who discovered her body? And what if we were less than convinced the police investigation would successfully uncover the truth, apprehend the culprit? What if we expected instead a cold case file as cold comfort for all we had lost?

Protagonist Veronica Nakama has a few scales of justice balances on her side. An overworked investigator who seems to genuinely care. A supportive employer who certainly cares. And her own determination to ass-kick the wheels of justice into motion. Against an uncaring world, it may seem a lopsided proposal, but Gilly brings deep feels in its telling, planting seeds of investment with her readers. We want to see Veda avenged and her killer rotting somewhere not nearly as cool as the Coney Island boardwalk setting of this whodunit.

Artist Soo Lee brings unconventional aesthetic honesty creating our visual portal to Veronica’s reality. Its stark discomfort pre-Veda, its cool consolation finding her as a companion, and its post-Veda desire for vengeance. Her style grants Veronica’s pain its wondrous delivery by Veda and, in turn, drives its world-weary need for reprisal.

Letterer Toben Racicot effectively adds to Lee’s vision. Fonts are personal and followable, handwritten notes expositional. The letterings of the menus and attractions are a little bit glorious, a little bit gauche, but wholly sublime.

Overall: For those seeking a cerebral crime comic alternative, one which foregoes padded bullet ballets for intelligent, subliminal storytelling, Newburn #5 is your passport. 9/10

Newburn #5

Newburn #5
Writer: Chip Zdarsky, with a back-up by Casey Gilly
Artist: Jacob Phillips, with a back-up by Soo Lee
Letterer: Jacob Phillips, with a back-up by Toben Racicot
Publisher: Image Comics
Newburn finds himself in his most dangerous position yet - in prison, surrounded by the men he helped put there.
PLUS: A thrilling new backup story BEGINS! In "SPOOK-A-RAMA" by GILLY and LEE, if the cops won't investigate her best friend's murder, can Ronnie solve it herself?
Price: $3.99
Buy It Here: Digital

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Clyde Hall (He/Him) lives in Southern Illinois. He’s an Elder Statesman of Geekery, an indie author, a comics fan/reviewer, and a contributing writer at Stormgate Press. He’s on twitter at: (@CJHall1984)