Written by Craig Sardone with art by Alex Williamson, Brass Falcon is set in fictional Sun City. Though the site indicates there are two full issues available, in reality, Issue #1 is just an expansion of the #0 issue.
The lone story available, opens on a dock scene wherein General Nimbosa (of the fictional African country, Nobinia) is on hand to purchase a bioweapon--a plague engineered to specifically target the general's tribal enemies, the Bejarra--from Sun City mobster Vincent "Vinny" Toretta.
Shortly after the villains inject their captive Bejarran guinea pig, the titular hero comes crashing through a skylight in dramatic fashion.
In the ensuing fight, Brass Falcon demonstrates standard Superman-esque powers: flight, super-speed, some degree of invulnerability, energy-projection, and super-strength. Toretta quickly flees the scene, leaving General Nimbosa and the majority of his hapless minions to get trounced.
Nimbosa taunts Brass Falcon, claiming that his "diplomatic status" makes him effectively untouchable under any legal jurisdiction. Before Falcon can really respond, his attention is diverted by the poor Bejarran's real-time desiccation.
Furious at both Nimbosa's inhumanity (and, one suspects, his own helplessness) Brass Falcon destroys the remaining stock of plague with an energy blast, then leaves the general tied to a barrel or something for pick up by the Sun City PD. Nimbosa issues standard bluster about "see[ing] you dead for this indignity," blah blah blah.
In the aftermath, police descend on the flaming warehouse en masse. This provides an introduction to Joe and Jimmy Valentine--brothers who are both detectives with the Sun City PD, extending a family tradition of law enforcement service. That, it appears, is the extent of their similarities.
Jimmy comes across as the clean-shaven rule-following super-cop. (If Steve Rogers were a police detective, his name would be Jimmy Valentine.) Joe, in contrast, is the quintessential guy you love to hate--a chauvinist, dirty cop on the take from the mob.
The story picks up the following morning with each Valentine brother discussing the previous evening's events over breakfast. Joe's father invites his son to drop by the house for a home-cooked meal, and encourages him to work through whatever issues have opened the rift between himself and his brother. After leaving the diner, Joe reverts to his dark side as he and his partner head out in their unofficial capacity as enforcers for Vinny Toretta to shake down a rival gang of drug dealers.
Meanwhile, across town, Jimmy is chowing down with his grandfather who warns the young detective against the perils of taking a "whatever means necessary" approach to police work.
When Jimmy returns to the police station, he is greeted by of flowers from yet another grateful citizen who secured justice thanks to his efforts.
Sadly, this moment of reverie is shattered by the image of the hulking General Nimbosa arrogantly striding out of the station. When Jimmy tells the would-be genocidal maniac that he "will not get away with this," Nimbosa responds much as he did to Brass Falcon in the warehouse. He. is. untouchable. As if to underscore just how "above the law" Nimbosa soars, Williamson & Sardone treat us to the following panel.
While we leave Jimmy to stew in the juices of his righteous indignation, the story cuts back to Joe and his partner who have apparently been summoned to a warehouse meeting with Vinny Toretta. There they find not only Sun City's worst, but apparently Nimbosa's as well.
Still stinging from his humiliation by the Brass Falcon, Nimbosa has agreed to supply his own elite soldiers and military-grade weapons in order to execute the heroic ultra. Joe announces that he has an idea of how they might lure the Falcon into their trap without simultaneously calling in every cop in Sun City as well...though he admits skepticism as to whether even Nimbosa's arms will be enough to do the job. The final panel struck me as oddly anticlimactic. The close-up of Toretta is clearly intended to heighten the dramatic tension, but for me it just seemed a little to...predictable?
Unfortunately--and to the eternal chagrin of Paul Harvey--it looks like we won't get the chance to hear "the rest of the story." The last posting to the Brass Falcon Blog was in August 2012. Maybe all Brass Falcon needs to be rejuvenated is a cool theme song.
Maybe the Beastie Boys are available....monkeys...falcons...they're all the same, right?
Sexuality - 4
There's some innuendo, but no real sexuality graphically displayed. I think a "4" is a reasonable grade.
The lone story available, opens on a dock scene wherein General Nimbosa (of the fictional African country, Nobinia) is on hand to purchase a bioweapon--a plague engineered to specifically target the general's tribal enemies, the Bejarra--from Sun City mobster Vincent "Vinny" Toretta.
Shortly after the villains inject their captive Bejarran guinea pig, the titular hero comes crashing through a skylight in dramatic fashion.
 |
| As it turns out, this is also the last full color page of the comic. |
In the ensuing fight, Brass Falcon demonstrates standard Superman-esque powers: flight, super-speed, some degree of invulnerability, energy-projection, and super-strength. Toretta quickly flees the scene, leaving General Nimbosa and the majority of his hapless minions to get trounced.
Nimbosa taunts Brass Falcon, claiming that his "diplomatic status" makes him effectively untouchable under any legal jurisdiction. Before Falcon can really respond, his attention is diverted by the poor Bejarran's real-time desiccation.
Furious at both Nimbosa's inhumanity (and, one suspects, his own helplessness) Brass Falcon destroys the remaining stock of plague with an energy blast, then leaves the general tied to a barrel or something for pick up by the Sun City PD. Nimbosa issues standard bluster about "see[ing] you dead for this indignity," blah blah blah.
 |
| Is it just me, or does this panel look like BF is threatening to "hold" Nimbosa with a water-cooler jug? I don't what understand the art is supposed to be telling me. |
In the aftermath, police descend on the flaming warehouse en masse. This provides an introduction to Joe and Jimmy Valentine--brothers who are both detectives with the Sun City PD, extending a family tradition of law enforcement service. That, it appears, is the extent of their similarities.
Jimmy comes across as the clean-shaven rule-following super-cop. (If Steve Rogers were a police detective, his name would be Jimmy Valentine.) Joe, in contrast, is the quintessential guy you love to hate--a chauvinist, dirty cop on the take from the mob.
The story picks up the following morning with each Valentine brother discussing the previous evening's events over breakfast. Joe's father invites his son to drop by the house for a home-cooked meal, and encourages him to work through whatever issues have opened the rift between himself and his brother. After leaving the diner, Joe reverts to his dark side as he and his partner head out in their unofficial capacity as enforcers for Vinny Toretta to shake down a rival gang of drug dealers.
Meanwhile, across town, Jimmy is chowing down with his grandfather who warns the young detective against the perils of taking a "whatever means necessary" approach to police work.
When Jimmy returns to the police station, he is greeted by of flowers from yet another grateful citizen who secured justice thanks to his efforts.
Sadly, this moment of reverie is shattered by the image of the hulking General Nimbosa arrogantly striding out of the station. When Jimmy tells the would-be genocidal maniac that he "will not get away with this," Nimbosa responds much as he did to Brass Falcon in the warehouse. He. is. untouchable. As if to underscore just how "above the law" Nimbosa soars, Williamson & Sardone treat us to the following panel.
While we leave Jimmy to stew in the juices of his righteous indignation, the story cuts back to Joe and his partner who have apparently been summoned to a warehouse meeting with Vinny Toretta. There they find not only Sun City's worst, but apparently Nimbosa's as well.
Still stinging from his humiliation by the Brass Falcon, Nimbosa has agreed to supply his own elite soldiers and military-grade weapons in order to execute the heroic ultra. Joe announces that he has an idea of how they might lure the Falcon into their trap without simultaneously calling in every cop in Sun City as well...though he admits skepticism as to whether even Nimbosa's arms will be enough to do the job. The final panel struck me as oddly anticlimactic. The close-up of Toretta is clearly intended to heighten the dramatic tension, but for me it just seemed a little to...predictable?
Unfortunately--and to the eternal chagrin of Paul Harvey--it looks like we won't get the chance to hear "the rest of the story." The last posting to the Brass Falcon Blog was in August 2012. Maybe all Brass Falcon needs to be rejuvenated is a cool theme song.
Maybe the Beastie Boys are available....monkeys...falcons...they're all the same, right?
Sustainability - 0
There's been no action and no word in six years. I really couldn't give this title anything else.
Language - 2
I can't call the dialogue "kid-friendly." Though it's not extravagantly obscene, as you can tell from the isolated panels above, Sardone is certainly willing to have his characters speak in profanities.
Violence - 4
The panels might be slightly more violent than some would prefer (I could see some little kids being disturbed by the plague-ridden Bejarran), but overall I think the violence is fairly standard for this type of publication.Sexuality - 4
There's some innuendo, but no real sexuality graphically displayed. I think a "4" is a reasonable grade.
Political Leanings - 3
Can't tell what (if any) political leanings the creators have. This is refreshing. As they set things up, Brass Falcon might even supply some interesting options for exploring corruption in various different political factions. If they went that route, who knows? Might right now would be the perfect time for a resurrection of Brass Falcon.
Morality - 4
The initial story seems to give us a pretty stark contrast between Jimmy and Joe. However the latter--and Brass Falcon himself-- seem to come across as standard moral paragons. I like my heroes like this.
The initial story seems to give us a pretty stark contrast between Jimmy and Joe. However the latter--and Brass Falcon himself-- seem to come across as standard moral paragons. I like my heroes like this.
Artwork - 3
The artwork is good...but a bit spotty. The biggest thing I didn't like was beginning in color and then suddenly switching to black-and-white a couple of pages into the comic. While I have a reflexive preference for color, I can enjoy a black-and-white...but just make a decision and stick to it!
Storytelling - 2
I gave Sardone a 2 on this mostly because there's just not enough in this first issue. Some interesting potential arcs are seeded, but we don't get enough to see them develop. Meanwhile, such action as we do see in the title is very anticlimactic and deflating...the bad guys effectively got away. Jimmy Valentine is a cur and shame on the family, and we didn't really get to see that much of the titular hero.
Overall Rating - 2.75
The artwork is good...but a bit spotty. The biggest thing I didn't like was beginning in color and then suddenly switching to black-and-white a couple of pages into the comic. While I have a reflexive preference for color, I can enjoy a black-and-white...but just make a decision and stick to it!
Storytelling - 2
I gave Sardone a 2 on this mostly because there's just not enough in this first issue. Some interesting potential arcs are seeded, but we don't get enough to see them develop. Meanwhile, such action as we do see in the title is very anticlimactic and deflating...the bad guys effectively got away. Jimmy Valentine is a cur and shame on the family, and we didn't really get to see that much of the titular hero.
Overall Rating - 2.75
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