AKA #1by Katherine KellerReviews may contain information that could be considered 'spoilers'. Readers should proceed at their own risk.
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Credits Grade: 5 AKA is the name of a private investigator's agency run by two long time friends, Alison and Katie. The story opens as they photograph a man suspected of cheating on his wife (their client). Of the two, Alison's the "brain" while Katie's the "face." A few chuckles, a bit of mayhem, and a nice little plot twist follow.I know what writer Dara Naraghi's trying to pull off: two different, yet plucky women whose different personalities complement each other and make them an unbeatable team. The dialog in the book is quite believable, and that's where I think AKA falls short of the mark. What makes this sort of story sparkle is snappy one liners between the characters, and this issue needs a bit more of that. It's got the foundations of a good story and the framing is good, but if I may carry my house metaphor a bit further, there's a broken window and the yard needs work. Steve Black's art is all over the place. The cover painting is quite nice, but the interior art goes from being spot on in some panels, to blotchy and distorted. Black is trying for a style reminiscent of Lee Bermejo or Tomm Coker. Those abstract geometric graphics can be jaw-droppingly stunning, but as Black's hits and misses show, it's very hard to master. Overall, AKA is a decent meat and potatoes detective caper, but it needs polishing. Written: April 17, 2003
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