Story Synopsis: Velvet
A secretary of a high level British intelligence agency gets caught up and framed in a murder in this week’s Comic Rewind, Velvet.
In Paris 1973 an agent, Jefferson Keller aka X-14, was murdered. He was the best field op in the world and in the most elite government intelligence agency in the world, ARC-7. The odds of someone getting with-in 6 feet of him was unlikely.
Velvet Templeton was the secretary for the director of ARC-7. While looking over the files from Keller’s last mission and highlighting relevant sections trying to find a lead she got curious. She remembered a month ago she saw a missing day in the expense reports. At the time she thought nothing of it, but now she wanted to take a deeper look.
Velvet’s Life Is About To Get Really Complicated
There was evidence a former field op may have the means and motive to kill Keller, but Templeton had her doubts. Templeton decided to go to the former field agent herself and ask him if he was involved. However, when she showed up he was already dead and ARC-7 busted down the door just in time to see Templeton with his corpse.
Templeton was framed and things looked bad, but Templeton had a secret weapon. Secretary for ARC-7 was a new job for Templeton because her old job was the best field op ARC-7 had ever seen. It had been over 10 years since she was last in the field and very few people remembered who she was.
Things became very personal for Templeton and she wouldn’t sleep until she uncovered who set her up and who was killing present and past ARC-7 agents. Did she remember her training and was she still as dangerous?
Velvet was written by Ed Brubaker with art by Steve Epting and Elizabeth Breitweiser. Image Comics published the volumes comprising the story from 2014 to 2016.
Velvet Is A Top Notch Spy Conspiracy Drama
My love for Brubaker’s non-superhero stuff is well known, but I wanted to go back and re-read this. I wanted to read some spy and espionage stuff and I was not disappointed. The reveal of who Templeton used to be was a really cool reveal. She is very dangerous and I was glued to my seat to see how deep the conspiracy went.
I also liked seeing a bit of a glance into the life of a spy. Keeping safe houses and informants I found interesting.
Brubaker is really good at suspense and slowly trickling out the drama and twists. He also has a great cliff-hanger at the end every issue and every volume.
I love his noir stuff so much, but after reading this I really hope he does more of this spy stuff because it is just as good.
My only complaint isn’t really a complaint and is more of a personal preference. Epting’s art is really good, but when I read Brubaker I expect to see Sean Phillips’ art. I thought I remembered Phillips doing the art. Epting’s art is really good, but isn’t anywhere close to the same style as Phillips. It distracted me just a little bit while I was reading this.
If you like Brubaker’s non-superhero stuff then I highly recommend this comic. It is an edge of your seat rollercoaster ride from beginning to end with a ton of twists and turns.
Rating:
5/5
