Grifter #10

[grifter78]

(No Spoilers)
The second issue of Liefeld and Tieri starts off pretty weak but some interesting revelations at the end make for a much better comic. Even Clark's art seems to be getting back to where it was before the current run started. It's not a huge improvement but it is a step in the right direction.
After last month I was kind of dreading where this issue would take us. The first half of the comic was more of a mixed bag than the last issue. We still get some cheesy dialogue but it is sprinkled with some great action scenes. I have to say it was so cool seeing Deathblow and Grifter fighting side by side again. But as much as I liked the action, as I neared the end of the comic, I feared that might be all we get and thus would end another issue of Grifter without much direction. Thankfully, I was wrong.
Grifter's abilities take a dramatic turn in the issue and it's an idea I actually thought should've been covered with the Grifter in the old WSU. It's hard to talk about without spoiling anything but let me say this. If you remember Grifter's battle with Green Arrow in Grifter #4, you may remember the incident where he caught one of the arrows that was shot at him. At the time, even he mused that it would be a long time before he learned how he could do that. Other than this moment, Grifter having any abilities beyond being good with a gun had not been explored yet. I have to say I'm happy with this turn of events and I hope it signals positive change for the title.
Even Scott Clark's art seemed to be returning to its normal awesome style. There were some weird choices in some of the shots with the line work but overall it looked better. Even the Daemonite Elite Class looked better than last issue. And I love the way he draws Cheshire! As long as Clark is drawing beautiful women I'm still on board!
I am worried a little about the next issue because I'm not impressed by the design of the new villain they're set to fight. But I'll reserve judgment for that until next month. It's still by no means perfect, but I'm not as exasperated with this title as I was last month. Above all else, I'm glad Grifter survived the cut of the 3rd wave of the New 52. I hope this creative team takes this opportunity to take some chances on the title and really garner some attention to it.

[beetle_booster]

I agree. It's nice to see Deathblow and Grifter fighting together again.

"Look ma. No hands!". lol

[DarkKnghtJared]

So...the thing that Grifter did with all the guns was something he was able to do back in the WS universe? 'Cause I have to admit, that was a HUGE WTF moment for me.

[D.C. Edmonds]

Eh, I'll give it one more issue. If it isn't any better than this, then I am dropping it. I actually thought the title was at it's best around the GA appearance ... and has plummeted ever since that time frame. So far I haven't been impressed at all with the new creative team, though the art is pretty good.

[jabari18]

So...the thing that Grifter did with all the guns was something he was able to do back in the WS universe? 'Cause I have to admit, that was a HUGE WTF moment for me.

I was wondering the same thing. Can anyone familiar with the WSU help on this?

I liked issue 10. Hopefully it can grow from strength-to-strength. Was good to see how he got his name as well

[TonyStark1012]

So...the thing that Grifter did with all the guns was something he was able to do back in the WS universe? 'Cause I have to admit, that was a HUGE WTF moment for me.

He had powers like this before, but they had went away and then came back. I was hoping that they wouldn't bring them back as I liked that he could see and hear the aliens because the experimented on him. I think that's enough powers.

[robcastor729]

Powers/Abilities:
Cole Cash was recruited into Team 7 where he developed his uncanny skill with guns. After being exposed to the Gen-Factor, Cash gained incredible psychic and telekinetic powers, but later suppressed these powers to avoid the terrible toll similar powers had exacted upon other Team 7 members. Cash's gen-active powers have been dormant for years, save for his slowed aging and a limited healing factor, but resurfaced recently in the wake of the WorldStorm. Grifter is one of the few men on Earth to be trained in the Coda martial arts. He learned hand to hand combat and a variety of weapons from his former lover Zealot. For the longest time, his weapons of choice were his VAD PP30's. In later years, he stopped using them and resorted to a variety of firearms.

I found this over on the Wildstorm Resource Wiki.

[TheFallen]

I wanted to like this issue but there was some glaring issues that just simply took me out of the story. The biggest one is the way Deathblow was handling "Ol' Painless" while shooting and then the very next page he is holding a rifle. Yes, Deathblow is a badass but not that much that he should be able to hold the gun the way he was. And then to be holding a completely different gun in the very next page was very disjointed. As I said above, it took me out of the story.

Later, when they get to the cabin there just happened to be 4 motorcycles there for them even though the story started with spoilers:

6 people. Did they expect some losses or was it just a coincidence there would be 4 bikes?

end of spoilers

I was so excited to read this issue, especially with Deathblow in it now but in my opinion this was the worst issue so far. I am also not sold on Grifter's latest revelation but I will see how that pans out.

I really like this character and I hope the title can keep its neck off the chopping block but it can't keep producing issues like this. This one was just bad.

[TheFallen]

Just flipping through the book again, is it just me or does the spoilers:

new villain have Backlash's powers?

end of spoilers

[Mark Parnell]

This issue was such a pile of dog poo (dont want to swear). The splash panels were a throwback to Wildstorm circa 1995 and the story was god awful. This series started off so well but has plummeted to the point that I dropped it from my pull list. I really want to like this series but there is only so many dollars to spend.

[Luck911]

If every issue is like this i might complain but for one once in awhile it is good thing and first time in a long time i am going to make this statement and i hate when people make this statement but in this case it is actually true. So here it goes

This issue felt like Image issue straight from the 90's over the top action for most the issue with great art and at the new enemy which they drop ton of cliches in the design and cheesy name.I am one of people in the camp that not all of the 90's stuff is bad and comics visual medium,If you don't throw in some action you will fail for example Captain Atom book in the nu52 which was awesome book but forgot to put action in it and think issue like this would have help Captain Atom greatly.

I like the book the but their were some problems

-Grifter is full on Jean Grey,I realize that Grifter had this potential and powers because i was a wildstorm Reader but i think for him to go all out like that with out being a strain or downside is mistake but Rob Liefeld wrote Cable for years so if anybody can handle characters use guns and TK it is him but they should been a build to his powers being that strong or some point it will need to be establish that is strain to use his powers at that level because the core of Grifter is using guns and being a marksman and TK that strong makes guns irrelevant.

-They forgot to establish who Deathblow is and what he can do,Does he have his healing factor or is powerless and him holding up that Gatling gun was ridiculous but cool in a way.

-They need a tie to DC,something to make DC fans care about the book

If i was rating the book i would give it 6 or 7 overall but for enjoyment of action comic i would give 8 or 9 i love over the top action

[grifter78]

So...the thing that Grifter did with all the guns was something he was able to do back in the WS universe? 'Cause I have to admit, that was a HUGE WTF moment for me.

I was wondering the same thing. Can anyone familiar with the WSU help on this?

I liked issue 10. Hopefully it can grow from strength-to-strength. Was good to see how he got his name as well

He had powers like this before, but they had went away and then came back. I was hoping that they wouldn't bring them back as I liked that he could see and hear the aliens because the experimented on him. I think that's enough powers.

I found this over on the Wildstorm Resource Wiki.

Kudos to robcastor for using our Wildstorm Resource Wiki!

Yes, Grifter had powers like this in the old WSU but the one reason he didn't use them all the time is that they'd almost kill him. Obviously that didn't happen here but I hope that maybe extended use will have consequences, otherwise his reasons for using guns goes out the window. So I guess we'll have to wait and see.

[Will.S]

The end villain reveal kind of killed my enthusiasm for the book since he looks so lame.

Liefeld/Tieri's first issue, while not great, showed some promise but this issue brought it down a bit for me since it felt likes a series a cliche's with a "what the hell?" moment tied in. I never expected Grifter to have TK manifest and it seems a bit at odds with his soldier nature so I can only hope that they go somewhere interesting with it. Clark's art was pretty decent here, some panels look great and full of action while others are a lot less detailed and weird looking.

I'll give the book one more issue to maintain my interest but if not I'll very likely drop it.

6/10

[gma2darescue]

I flipped through this at my shop, having not read since issue #1.
I thought it was a good looking book, and although I didn't buy the issue, I'm really hoping it sells well now with Leifeld.

[Eivion]

I enjoyed it for being a throw away action issue. It has its problems but it was overall fine. So far I'm digging the Liefeld/Tieri combo over Edmondson.