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Column:
Imperiled Heroes
"Manhunter"
By Adam White
Published: 25 April 2006
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You should be reading Manhunter. Period.
Why? Well, like many people, I have limited funds and have to be selective in what I buy each week, and consequently I
sometimes overlook new titles (especially superhero books) out of cheapness and/or overkill. It was in this manner I
overlooked Manhunter when it came out, and only recently tried it out “One Year Later” just because the
covers always impressed me every month. After reading Manhunter #20, though, I was impressed enough to track down
and order the entire series from a variety of sources. That ended up being the best comicbooks purchase I’ve made in
quite some time.
Writer Marc Andreyko has taken the namesake of a string of mediocre characters from DC history and bestowed it upon Kate
Spencer (his original creation), who is not only the newest and best Manhunter but also the most complex and interesting new
superhero character to come out of comicdom in decades. Andreyko’s Spencer is especially unlike every other DC
character, because while many DC characters are larger than life, infallible icons, Spencer is not only fallible but
fervently so — she’s just as likely to make things worse as she is better, which is the true strength of the
character. Some readers have dismissed Spencer as unlikable, but I think that is because they didn’t read closely
enough; Kate Spencer is human, a quality many of today’s superheroes lack. When Marvel first printed comicbooks
about Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four, the characters worked because their superheroic adventures were balanced with very
Kate Spencer is human, a quality many of today’s superheroes lack.
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human personal lives; Andreyko has revived that ideal in Manhunter not only with Spencer but also her supporting cast:
her son and ex-husband, her tech guy/ex-convict Dylan, and Cameron Chase (whom discerning readers will recall from her own
excellent series, Chase, back in the 1990s). Every character is very human and flawed, yet infinitely more likable and
entertaining because of that.
Andreyko also writes magnificent stories, balancing plots between Spencer’s personal life, her job as a federal
prosecutor, and her extracurricular activities as Manhunter. When Spencer cannot find justice as a lawyer, she ensures it
instead as Manhunter, often pronouncing final judgment on irredeemable villains. Spencer has her own moral code, one
oftentimes found in the Western genre, and she strictly adheres to that code even when it is to her detriment. She has
encountered a colorful variety of DC’s supervillains, some for the first and last time (if you know what I
mean); one particular villain met his well-earned fate in a rather amusing manner, and another died surprised because he was
used to other heroes who don’t kill. The deaths are not frequent, however, and all make sense, never darkening the
tone too much. Every story arc has something new, and the most important thing is that the characters change as a
result of each story, a key ingredient missing from the vast majority of serialized fiction in all mediums.
Spencer has her own moral code, one oftentimes found in the Western genre, and she strictly adheres to that code even when it is to her detriment.
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Javier Pina gives the series a distinct look, and handles every character as if each was an extension of himself. As I
stated in my review of #20, “Pina provides distinct visuals that set this book apart from the rather homogenous
offerings available these days due to unofficial company styles. Pina makes solid use of every panel, making the story retain
its pace through fight sequences and conversations,” and always makes it clear what characters are feeling through
facial expressions and body language. Pina is a real find, and his art is indispensible to the look and feel of the
character and the series.
So why aren’t people reading Manhunter? Again, I think general reader apathy accounts for most of it, and I
myself have pleaded guilty to that. However, I rectified my mistake by buying the entire series, a series which now stands
as one of if not my very favorite series at this moment. I was blown away by the sheer excellence crammed into every issue
and the ability of the characters to draw you in and not let go. I love every single element of Manhunter, and this title
deserves a much wider audience than it is getting. Manhunter is better than any book in the Top 20 sellers right now,
so it’s time it started doing those numbers.
Manhunter is better than any book in the Top 20 sellers right now, so it’s time it started doing those numbers.
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So I reiterate: You should be reading Manhunter. When you read even one issue I guarantee you’ll be hooked.
I’m even ready to put my money where my mouth is on Manhunter, so I am personally giving away a copy of the Trade Paperback to a random winner selected from anyone who e-mails me at this address:
ManhunterDrawing@comiccritique.com
Just drop me a line and you could win!
—CCdC— Images used without explicit permission in accordance with the "Fair Use" provision of US copyright law.
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