Well kudos to Vault and to Ricardo for this one folks. It has all the feel to it that I wanted out Marvel to do an Eros, Starfox book. Though it never would have started out this good if I’m being honest. Ricardo does an amazing job on bringing us the life of Sullivan and how he views things, such as love and life. There’s a story behind the story here and it’s one we ask ourselves as we’re reading this, how did Sullivan get hurt to the point where his life ended up here? While we may never really know it’s a hook, the hook that definitely keeps us coming back for more.
The opening is wonderfully done and while we aren’t privy to what this app is at this time we do see him using it in the midst of a date. Husk is totally a ne’er-do-wells kind of guy and that kind of translates to possibly anti-hero or just damaged goods that we love to see in action. I haven’t quite decided which one it is for me yet. That’ll come a few issues from now but in the meantime he’s rather entertaining to see in action.
So when something happens and Husk has to flee the scene in a hurry it’s almost like he’s a superhero or has the luck of the gods on his side. I have not been so entertained, confused and excited all at the same time before like I was with this. Then when seemingly out of nowhere this little fella is there watching him, aiding him and following him around I was done. That was too much for me and it was completely and utterly phenomenal.
Usually the style that Tony has leaves me with mixed feelings. The exaggerated body parts are a little over the top for me but in conjunction with this story it has the perfect feeling. There’s this wonderful illustration style that you’d find in YA books, or even younger but it has feeling, emotion and a sense of movement that I wasn’t fully expecting. There’s also plenty of charm, wit and personality to it that makes it utterly delightful. Plus the use of page layouts through their angles, perspective and utilisation of backgrounds showcase a strong eye when it comes to storytelling.
Oh my goodness there are a ton of unexplainable things in this first issue that makes it feel like it’s all over the place but while it seems incredulous it’s also very much thrilling. I mean it certainly makes me want to know more about what’s happening. The fact that he’s clearly bi-sexual is an added bonus, or at least he doesn’t care who he gets to have sex with and make them fall in love with him so he can keep using that app. Which kind of makes him the worst kind of opportunist but then again I’m not sure.
This first issue leaves you wondering about a lot of things. Then wham bam thank you Sam there’s a cliffhanger ending that blows your mind. So is this going to lead us to the exploration of how Husk got this way? Who knows well Ricardo knows but this is something that I want to see play out because honestly we’ve never seen anything quite like it before.
Editor’s Note: Head here to find out how you can grab yourself a copy!
Deuce of Hearts #1
Vault Comics 2017
Written by: Ricardo Mo
Illustrated by: Tony Gregori
Coloured by: Claudia Aguirre
Lettered by: Ryan Ferrier
Reviewer: Steven Leitman
Summary: Sullivan Husk’s life changed the day he was introduced to the Heartbreakr™ app and the notion that love is just another tradeable commodity. What started as a Faustian bargain to restore the good health of a dying man has become a collector’s habit. But all the upgrades the app has to offer might not be enough to save Sully from this latest upset spouse.
