Review - All New Executive Assistant Iris #1


"They walk out due to intimidation."

If there's one assistant you would hire with no hesitation, it would be an Executive Assistant. Iris is probably the most renowned of the trade and she's front and center in All New Executive Assistant Iris #1 from Aspen Comics.

The issue is written by Brian Buccellato, illustrated by Pasquale Qualano, inked by Chaz Riggs, colored by John Starr and lettered by Josh Reed.

Executive Assistant Iris has an established resume, but even she has to leverage that in interviewing for a new position. That position is serving Maly Any, owner of Ang Compounds and Ang Cosmetics; not to mention, a major shareholder in Shao Laboratories. She's pitted against Snapdragon for the right to be Ang's Executive Assistant and it's a competition that proves to be a bit more dangerous than Iris expected. Despite that, she can still swing a sword with the best of them.

Buccellato's story is an odd blend of origin and forward-thinking. It's an origin in a sense because it recaps Iris' path to her current position, fighting through numerous orphanages and academies to hone her craft. Add in the fact that she's essentially auditioning for a new position and it's an origin story. The forward-thinking part of it comes in with her role relative to Ang. Ang tested Iris' ability to be an effective Executive Assistant, mainly by throwing Iris into the fire. It makes the book very accessible to new readers while also giving fans of the series something to interest them as well.

Qualano's art is a little on the provocative side. Every other page seems to be a pin-up, showcasing Iris, Snapdragon or Ang in a very alluring position, which sort of detracts from the overall story. There are some pages where there are also just floating panels in the middle of the page, where no setting or background is present for context. There are also some odd perspectives of some of the characters, presenting them shown from very odd angles. Qualano adds a superhero feel to the book through his art, something that seems a little uncharacteristic for a book like Executive Assistant Iris.

All New Executive Assistant Iris #1 is a pretty good jumping on point for new readers of the series. It doesn't rely on the past too much, really only using it to frame Iris as the awesome killer and defender that she is. She's thrown right into the thick of a brand new mystery that requires her full attention. It also means she'll be thrown against many more enemy combatants, which is nothing that Iris couldn't handle. The art is a little vivacious for the work, but it does convey Iris' trademark beauty as part of her Executive Assistant package.

All New Executive Assistant Iris #1 is in stores today with interiors below.





Comments