Friday #1
Written by Ed Brubaker
Art by Marcos Martin and Muntsa Vicente
Published by Panel Syndicate
‘Rama Rating: 8 out of 10
To say it’s a strange time for your new book to be released is definitely an understatement, but Ed Brubaker, Marcos Martin and Muntsa Vicente’s Friday might just be the flavor of escapism we’ve been missing during these quarantine days. A love letter to the young adult mysteries of his youth, Brubaker does a great job applying his crime comic pedigree to an adjacent genre. Together with Martin’s unique character design, ability to change his style on a dime, and the synergy between his linework and Vicente’s colors, Friday is an intriguing read that has style just as much as substance.
Brubaker talks a bit in the backmatter about how this book came together, owing it to a bolt of inspiration that hit him when Martin approached him about collaborating, tapping into a dormant interest in the YA mystery stories that Brubaker grew up on. And it’s clear to see the inspiration here. While Friday’s interior monologue that punctuates the book is reminiscent of Brubaker’s work on Criminal, there is a more youthful angst to this story that calls back to Harriet the Spy or Encyclopedia Brown. For Brubaker, the mystery is important, but as the characters come forth, Friday’s inner conflict here is just as much the story, as she goes on a spooky investigation with her friend Lance and Sheriff Bixby. It’s great to see Brubaker flexing his muscles in different ways.
Martin and Vicente are all all-time great art team though, and even if Brubaker wasn’t as on top of his game as he is here, this book would still be worth the cover price. With his work on Spider-Man, Martin always seemed able to deliver the platonic ideal of a slightly more stylized spin on John Romita Sr. — but without the limitations of established characters, Martin’s imagination is fully on display. His design for Friday is a little odd and oblong but perfectly endearing. I love how her glasses echo the shape of her head, and the whole design gives her a unique silhouette versus the other characters. Vicente meanwhile, does great work with light in different locations, giving the dark forest a palette of eerie blues highlighted only by the sickly yellow of the flashlights while the city and indoor sequences have a much more naturalistic look.
If you are picking up on Brubaker’s inspirations for this story, you are going to love what he’s created here. But even if those who aren’t familiar with those specific touchpoints are going to enjoy Friday as a lovingly crafted mystery story that teases a lot of heart and is executed with a ton of style. Martin and Vicente have created a visually stimulating world while Brubaker’s words almost do everything they can to stay out of the way, illuminating the art only as much as a flashlight in the dark, and that’s part of the fun.