Happy! #1 (of 4)

Down on his luck ex-detective Nick Sax has a date with a bullet from a couple of hoodlums, but his life’s about to change when he encounters a little blue winged horse named Happy and Christmas will never be the same again.

The Team

Written by Grant Morrison (Batman : Incorporated, The Filth, Superman Action Comics Vol. 1 : Superman & The Men Of Steel), illustrated by Darick Robertson (Transmetropolitan, The Boys, New Warriors) & coloured by Richard P. Clark. Published by Image Comics.

The Pros

This new mini series pulls no punches with its profanity, sexuality & street violence. The protagonist is a hard as nails ex-detective who doesn’t give a crap and doesn’t apologize for what he is. This is a classic tale of cops vs the mafia thrown in with some holiday cheer, with Nick as a walking, human target for the mob and the only help he’s got could be a figment of his own twisted imagination. After being shot, Nick starts to see and interact with a little blue horse who calls himself Happy. Now whether or not Happy is a hallucination brought on by the pain of being shot or just the affects of drugs & alcohol working over time or even his conscience rearing its cartoony head remains to be seen.

This kind of sex & violence is familiar territory for writer Grant Morrison, just look at the work he did on The Filth & WE3 and you’ll see what I mean. There are some moments of dark humour that made me chuckle every once in a while and Nick is kind of a lovable character, despite being a total bastard or as a colourful 4-letter word described by a couple of wise guys.

Illustrator Darick Robertson is in top form, as he displays New York as an ugly & gorgeous city simultaneously. Beautiful falling snow covering up the filth of the streets and behind closed doors lingers degenerates and criminal scumbags that would make your mother scream in disgust. I’ve been a fan of Roberston’s work since his earlier days on Wolverine & The New Warriors for Marvel to Vertigo’s Transmetropolitan & Dynamite’s The Boys. With the assistance of colourist Richard P. Clark, the colors are vivid and the panels just pop out of every page.

The Cons

Not the best Morrison’s ever written, but it’s unfair to fully judge it this early in the game.

The Outcome

I find with Grant Morrison, its give or take. I’m definitely a fan of some his work and I’m on board for this crazy ride of a series. As for Darick Robertson, his illustrations only enhances my appreciation for comic books.