Velvet

Velvet #7

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Velvet #7Although she doesn’t make an appearance in this issue other than in a flashback, Velvet Tempelton‘s spirit can be found of every page of the latest issue of Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting’s Velvet. Where the previous issues were spent to set-up the premise and the mystery of searching for the truth of what happened to the super-spy turned secretary, Velvet #7 is focused on the woman herself and how she’s viewed by the two men leading the search to find her. Even if, for the first time, we aren’t seeing the world from her perspective, the latest issue arguably offers readers the clearest picture of the character yet.

Velvet’s continued actions baffle Colt and Roberts who are only beginning to suspect that there’s likely far more to the story than the simple frame job suggests. Colt’s perspective gives us a glimpse at the dangerous false trails one finds while searching for a master spy while Roberts more analytical approach searches for assets and leverage which can be used against Velvet, although he discovers just how far he’s been lagging behind his target in the final couple pages of yet another terrific issue. Best of the Week.

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Velvet #6

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Velvet #6After a short hiatus, the second arc of Velvet begins here with Velvet Tempelton still on the run after being branded as a traitor. However, the spy has more on her mind than simply clearing her name. With the knowledge that the man she loved, and killed under orders (shattering both her life and career as a top ranking field officer), was likewise framed, Velvet has more than enough incentive to return home and begin her own counter-offensive.

Continuing the Cold War spy-story feel of the first arc, Velvet #6 features our heroine return to England, recruit an asset to help her investigation, and begin creating a list of suspects, one of whom is likely ultimately responsible for the deaths of a pair of men she cared and destroying her career within Arc-7 twice.

The brash actions taken by Velvet over the course of the issue, particularly in the final few pages, won’t earn her any new friends in the spy organization still chasing her, but as long as she remains one-step ahead of her pursuers Velvet at least has a chance. Worth a look.

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Velvet #5

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Velvet #5Concluding the series opening arc, Velvet #5 offers us more into the past of Velvet Tempelton than the previous four issues combined. Caused by the final line of last month’s issue where Velvet learned that Mockingbird was never a double-agent, this month involves an extended look back at the love affair with the man who would be Velvet’s partner and husband – and also the man she threw from a hotel window on orders from her superiors.

Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting also deliver a glimpse at Velvet at age 16 and the spy who trained the exceptional young woman and trained her to become one of the agency’s best before her own life went off the rails and ended in despair and death on the floor of a cheap hotel room.

For those waiting for a little more insight into who Velvet is and what makes her tick, Velvet #5 is an issue you don’t want to miss. It also lays the groundwork by alerting the character than her hidden enemy has done far more damage to her life than recently framing Velvet for murder. I can’t wait to see where her story goes from here. Best of the week.

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Velvet #4

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Velvet #4The Cold War spy story continues as Velvet‘s search for Jefferson Keller’s killer leads her to the Carnival of Fools and a rendezvous with an old enemy. Saving the ex-KGB agent from Russian spies who have been sent to drag him back to Moscow, Velvet and her former adversary come to a quick understanding as Roman provides her with the name of the person Keller was obsessed with in the days leading up to his death. A name she knows all too well.

In the last issue we saw Velvet’s time away from the field cause an issue with an asset she risked much to retrieve. This month we get an old adversary turned new friend and the name Codename: Mockingbird suggesting that whatever happened to Keller, Velvet’s former husband is in the middle of it.

We only get a glimpse of Arc-7’s search for Velvet as the death of Stepanov and his wife and what Velvet is doing (if no clue as to the reason behind her actions). It will be interesting to see if we get more of her pursuit going forward or if the focus stays primarily on Velvet’s search for answers. Worth a look.

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Velvet #3

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Velvet #3Framed and on the run from the same government agency she has worked for her entire life, Velvet sets out to solve the murder of Jefferson Keller. After her friend Burke sneaks her out of the United States and into Vienna (while quickly dispatching any trouble they come across), Velvet begins retracing the final days of Keller which includes seducing a government paper-pusher and breaking into a prison to rescue Jefferson’s asset and try to slow piece the mystery together.

When the woman proves difficult demanding to see her child before helping fill-in the blanks about Jefferson’s final days, Velvet reluctantly agrees only to get played and nearly loose her newly-won asset before getting any useful information out of the broken woman.

Although she’s been out of the game for years Velvet continues to easily slide back into the life she was born for as the agency that trained her hunts her down and she searches for the identity of the person who murdered two old friends and framed Violet for the crimes. Worth a look.

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