Whew!

It looks like I'm not guilty of literary reviewing word crimes. I think.

Seven Deadly Words of Book Reviewing in the New York Times Papercuts blog.

Half a Life

Gotham Central Vol 2: Half a Life by Greg Rucka. Illustrated by Michael Lark Renee Montoya is a detective working for Gotham’s police department. In this Eisner-award winning book, she monitors Two-Face in the aftermath of an earthquake, when his coin flips are suddenly all “good guy.” For those as in the dark as I was prior to reading this comic, Two-Face is an old-time villain who flips a coin when confronted with an ethical decision. Heads – he rescues the child from the collapsed building. Tails – he kills the child. You might imagine that such a person would not be one that you would want to notice you. The action heats up as a rapist who Renee caught is released and out for vengeance. Someone’s digging into Renee’s life looking for secrets, and boy, does she have things that she would rather not come out. Batman exists, but is not the focus. The shadowy artwork is perfect both for the grittiness of Gotham and Renee’s inner battles. This is a compelling story, and a rare comic featuring a minority female – with a career neither as a journalist nor a superhero.