Where is Jake Ellis? #1
Written by Nathan Edmondson
Drawn by Tonci Zonjic
Cover by Tonci Zonjic
Image Comics
Release Date: November 14, 2012
Cover Price: $3.50

Where is Jake Ellis? #1 is, first and foremost, a mystery comic. Or an action comic. Or a spy comic. You know what? Whatever it is, is for you to decide, but it’s clear that it IS one thing – very entertaining.

Nathan Edmondson is great at writing this type of comic. Now, as stated above, it’s very hard to place this comic into ONE single genre. If I had a gun to my head, I’d have to classify it as a spy/espionage thriller, along the vein of James Bond or Jason Bourne. But, this comic is a LOT more than that. There’s mysteries at every single turn of the page, and more action in this one issue than in the last four issues of Avengers that I’ve read. My only problem with the comic is that if you haven’t read the first miniseries, Who is Jake Ellis?, you’re going to be pretty lost. There are a couple of recap pages, but I’m afraid they just don’t do the first series justice or prepare you for what you’re about to read. Hopefully readers who pick up this issue will be compelled to pick up the Who is Jake Ellis trade, and I think they will. Beyond that, this comic is fantastic. Loads of action, fun, and just a good, solid comic.

Tonci Zonjic‘s art is great. He has such a crisp, clean style that really lends itself to this book. Think along the lines of Darwyn Cooke. While the art is so simple, it’s also complex. There’s nothing here that doesn’t need to be. That’s not to say that it’s not detailed, it’s just not hyper detailed. Zonjic is a great choice for this story, because there’s things happening all the time, and you will not get lost in the art at all. He also has a great talent for drawing action. At times, there’s pages of chases, and they’re very easy to follow and look sharp and realistic. Almost any other artist would not do as well as Zonjic on this book.

So, where IS Jake Ellis? I won’t tell you that, but I’ll tell you where he SHOULD be. In your hands when you go to the comic store this week. Again, this isn’t the ideal first issue for someone who’s never read the first series, but hopefully retailers will direct people to the Who is Jake Ellis? trade paperback. A very enjoyable book that I recommend.