This is #1 of 5 and I would highly suggest picking this title up if Maberry and Crook can continue to deliver material of this quality.

Geoff Shaw has a modern style that is tied together with some excellent toning and colours. Sharp and gritty, he's drawn a villain who I quickly grew to despise. He has a mullet and it isn't ironic! I couldn't imagine this comic drawn in any other fashion than what's presented here. I look forward to what Geoff Shaw and Donny Cates has in store for comics in the next few years. More please?

It's okay to be giddy about the return of Stray Bullets. I am. I may pee myself with anticipation. If you are as excited as I am, pick up the mini Juice Squeezers. We've seen the path that Lapham's created in his career and the hints of solidifying his mastery can be found here in Juice Squeezers. It is the dose to get us through to the next big thing.

Gabriel Rodriguez has been a blessing to this series. His background in architecture was a perfect fit for Keyhouse, and his ability to portray emotion allowed the reader to better empathize with the characters in this book. From interviews it is apparent that Hill had some lofty demands of Rodriguez, but it is clear that he was up for the task. I look forward to seeing his work in other comics.

Milligan gets right to it by adding some much needed depth to the Shadowman character. We gets hints into the past which are not as altruistic as we have been led to believe. We also get a sense of his suffering, and much like his childhood we get the sense that Jack Bonifice is on his own. He is alone against the newly introduced Mambo, alone against the Abettors (who were supposed to protect him), and alone against himself. Milligan gives the characters his stylistic bend as we journey through the Bayou sniffing glue and talking to human skulls. Doesn't that sound awesome? If you're a fan of Milligan like I am it does.

The title truly shines with the art of Humberto Ramos. His range of panels is astonishing. I did not expect the level of humor he could achieve with his characters given the macabre open to the title. Ramos effectively evokes high levels of emotion from his characters and his style compliments the writing of Jenkins in a positive manner. At times it feels quite vaudeville, but it works as I think there is no issue with the reader knowing who the villain is. The tension exists among the characters that Jenkins and Ramos have created.

A cool idea is as far as this goes, and that cool idea is not enough to sustain a whole issue of the comic.

Unless you are a Santos megafan of course. Then you should browse it on the shelf. Actually you could probably get the full effect of this book from such a viewing. As long as your friendly retailer is okay with it.