Review - NOLA #2-3

Well, in the wake of a riveting New Orleans Saints Super Bowl victory what better comic to review then the intriguing NOLA from BOOM! Studios. If you recall NOLA is based on the story of a woman seeking revenge and answers as to why she was betrayed by a man she was in a relationship with. The first issue alternated between her past life and the incident that has set her on the path she is on, and her current actions which have clearly pushed her beyond the point of no return. These next two issues continue the story in the present, and Nola’s investigation into the events outside her control that have led her to where she is today. The second issue and first half of the third continue to alternate between the past and present that led to the fateful day on a bridge when Nola was forced to kill a couple of cops in order to get home. By my count Nola has been left for dead by a doctor after a horrific car accident, survived an attempted murder by a boyfriend who just wanted an affair not a girlfriend and now seems to have uncovered a conspiracy that may have gotten her father killed. All of these events, and Nola’s rather brutal interrogation methods, have been seamlessly tied together to form a fast paced but still very smart story here. It would be easy to get lost with all the flashbacks or incorporate them in a way that would distract from the story but Chris Gorak has done an excellent job with the story's presentation. The overall environment of New Orleans in the immediate days following the flooding after Katrina is also presented in an interesting way. The artwork by Damian Couceiro reflects what I would imagine is a scene of quiet devastation and downtrodden residents. All of the art just has a dark feel to it. I like that the residents have a certain resilience about them despite the disastrous scene they're immersed in. It gives the characters a sense of not giving up no matter what that just adds something hard to put into words to the feel of this book. Nola is very much turning into a sympathetic figure in this book as well. No small task when you consider that I think she has committed at least four murders by the time the third issue wraps up. Needless to say, if you’ve crossed Nola you should probably run and hide. I think her primary transportation at this point is a horse so I don’t think you’ll have to go too far as her range is limited. At the end of the third issue Nola has uncovered some critical clues towards finding the man who tried to kill her, and perhaps discovering where her father disappeared to as well. I continue to look forward to this realistic story with elements of revenge, betrayal and smart writing and can’t wait to see what Nola does next.

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