Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev are two masters of riveting crime comics, and the duo has cooked up a literal masterpiece in the first issue of Masterpiece. The team behind Daredevil and Scarlett have spun a tale of criminal intrigue, all centered on a young girl named Emma, or as some shady characters refer to her, Masterpiece. While we don’t learn the origin behind the name, we do discover some interesting tidbits about her popular parents. And when I say “popular,” that’s only in villainous circles. By the end, you’ll want to learn more about this world and the individuals that occupy it.
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Things begin innocently enough, as we join Emma being introduced to the students in the school she’s just joined. In true Bendis fashion, there is a lot of chatter and witty banter bouncing back and forth between the characters, but it doesn’t overshadow the larger story. Art by Maleev, Ian Herring, and Joshua Reed is top-notch, with no wasted space to be found. The adults come across as adults, and the teenagers dress and act just like you’d assume teenagers behave around each other. Once Emma is taken by people pretending to be the F.B.I., we meet the person serving as the antagonist in Masterpiece, Zero Preston.
You see, Zero Preston and Emma’s notorious parents used to travel in the same circles. Her parents infiltrated Preston’s entire life, getting close enough to the billionaire to swipe a cool billion right from underneath him. Preston now has his sights on Emma, assuming she has the same skills as her parents. Emma has no idea what’s happening to her or what’s taking place, but goes along with the flow to gain information. Speaking of Emma, something that caught me by surprise is her interest in webcomics. We get quick glimpses at her webcomic, titled Unicorn Pow, which could frankly support its own short side story.ย
Who are Emma’s parents, and why did they abandon her to go live life in the shadows without her? Her parents appear to have entrusted a man named Gleason to watch over her, but he’s remaining tight-lipped as well. Gleason remembers the good times with Emma’s parents, so of course he knows more than he’s letting on. The last remaining people of interest are Emma’s best friend Lawrence and the legendary criminal The Paragon.ย
I’m ready to see how Emma takes on the name Masterpiece, what type of heist she cooks up, and who rounds out her crew. Since she’s a teenager, one can only imagine who she turns to and what their specific set of skills are. Also, you know her parents will make a grand entrance at some point down the line, so we have that to look forward to as well. Masterpiece may look like a slow burn on the surface, but it should be more than worth the wait.
Published by Dark Horse Comics
On December 13, 2023
Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Art by Alex Maleev
Colors by Ian Herring
Letters by Joshua Reed
Cover by Alex Maleev
