Tug's Pick of the Week

Coup D'etat: Sleeper # 1

by New Comics Manager Tug Baker

I must admit � I really like big company-wide crossovers. Hmm, now before you all decide that you�re never going to listen to my opinion about comics ever again, I should probably amend that statement. I like the idea of big company-wide crossovers, especially when done right (see Grant Morrison�s DC One Million). Unfortunately, more often than not, these crossovers are simply too vast and unwieldy for the average comics reader. Who has the cash to buy every title that Marvel prints for a whole month? Wildstorm�s Coup D��tat looks to be a much more affordable (and more entertaining) crossover than the usual lot.

Coup D��tat is divided into four separate one-shots that each feature the main Eye of the Storm titles and characters. There will also be a Coup D��tat Afterword that wraps up the story as well as contains previews for two new Wildstorm series Wetworks and Sleeper: Season Two. The first issue Coup D��tat: Sleeper # 1 comes out this week.

The issue is written by Ed Brubaker (Catwoman, Gotham Central) with art by Jim Lee (duh!). Brubaker is one of the finest writers in comics today, and it really shows with this issue. In only 32 pages, he somehow manages to completely set up what by all indications will be an epic story.

The story begins with Brubaker�s character Holden (from Sleeper) pulling a job for the criminal mastermind TAO. (If you haven�t been reading Sleeper, Holden is just that � a sleeper agent. So he�s really a good guy deep down.) The job leads to the US government getting their hands on a little piece of advanced technology, and when they decide to test it out� well, that would be telling. But I will say that it is probably the greatest disaster in the history of mankind.

The Authority does its best to clean up the mess, but they decide that the governments of the world have gone too far this time. So they decide to take it over, naturally.

This is a great beginning to what looks to be a great story. Elements of all the Wildstorm books are touched on, and it�s a safe bet that if you read any of them, then you definitely won�t want to miss this series. It promises to change the entire Wildstorm universe.

Jim Lee�s art in the issue is really something else. I may be in the minority here, but I like Lee�s work much better when he does his own inking as he does here. It seems a bit rougher around the edges than his work on Batman with Scott Williams�s inks, and I think that suits his style much more. With rumors still floating around that Ed Brubaker and Jim Lee will be the regular team on Authority, this issue makes us want them to be true.

The problem with company-wide crossovers is that they are simply too big, and nothing of any real consequence can happen because you can�t suddenly have the status quo change on thirty books in a month. With Wildstorm, though, the titles and characters are few enough that a crossover like this could really deliver the goods and shake up the universe.

Coup D��tat: Sleeper # 1 is a 32 page one-shot written by Ed Brubaker with art by Jim Lee with a cover price of $2.95.

The rest of the issues are:

• Coup D��tat: Stormwatch Team Achilles � On sale Feb. 11^th

• Coup D��tat: Wildcats Version 3.0 � On sale Feb. 18^th

• Coup D��tat: The Authority � On sale Feb. 25^th

• Coup D��tat: Afterword � On sale Mar. 10^th

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