Publisher: Image Comics
Writer: J. M. Straczynski
Artist: C.P. Smith
Release Date: 30th July 2014

It’s strange how something so simple as an artist change can dramatically change the tone of a book. Ten Grand is a perfect example of this; the series started with Ben Templesmith at the helm and with his strange, dark style, the series had a nice detective-noir-with-a-supernatural-edge vibe to it. With C.P. Smith though, it has an almost Loony Tunes feel to it. The computerised, goofy style just doesn’t work with the serious tone of the book, especially in such a pivotal point in the story as this issue. Now at no point am I saying that the art is bad, the use of such vibrant colour and blocky, almost Picasso stylings have a feel to them that would be more akin to a book like Chew, or something more comedic, but the simple fact remains that it just doesn’t work for me on this title. With such expressive faces and janky lines, it’s not all bad, it’s just the wrong expression and comes across, in many instances, as looking stupid.

Straczynski’s writing is what we’ve all come to expect from the writer, with big set pieces and dialogue that wouldn’t be out of place in *that* speech from Independence Day. It’s a comforting read that holds no surprises, particularly the twist that can be seen from a mile off. The tone of the book has taken such a massive shift in recent issues that it almost doesn’t feel like the same thing anymore, with the first act being a detective noir story, and the latter being almost straight lifted from Supernatural.

I was always taught that if I can’t say anything nice, to not say anything at all, but in this case there are good points to be noted, I just don’t think that the series is living up to the original premise that sucked me in.

Rating: 1/5.

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The writer of this piece was: Chris Bennett
Article: And Now For Something Completely Different
You can also find Chris on Twitter.