Hard Bargain

by Steven S. DeKnight, Leno Carvalho (Artist), Bruno Hang (Colorist)

Frank Harding is a hard-boiled P.I. in 1940s Los Angeles who finds himself fighting not only the usual cadre of criminals and ne’er-do-wells, but also the occasional demon and other malevolent supernatural beings.

Battling the forces of darkness is another day at the office for Frank, but his current case, tied into his own past and L.A.’s all-too-real history of prejudice and discrimination, may be the one that puts Frank out of business…for good.

Hard Bargain, the long-awaited debut graphic novel from film and tv powerhouse Steven S. DeKnight (Buffy, Angel, Daredevil), combines the appeal of classic Noir crime storytelling with a well-wrought fantasy world of demons, monsters, and magic, all against the backdrop of a gritty Los Angeles. DeKnight's crackerjack storytelling paired with Carvalho's dynamic visuals builds a story that is energetic, fun, and compelling, while simultaneously revealing a complex engagement with history, bigotry, revenge, and the sins of one generation being dealt with by the next.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Horror

184 pages, Paperback

First published March 25, 2025

Reviews

[Comic Book Yeti · Rating 4 out of 5]

The immediate comparison that comes to mind is Hellblazer so if you are a John Constantine fan, this is a no brainer for you as it's an American pulp version of him. Not a knock off, but it gives you a landing point. The story follows P.I. Frank Harding as he navigates the city's underbelly and its darker denizens, many of which he is well familiar with, as he attempts to right the wrongs of the past.

The one, two combo punch of artist Leno Carvalho and colorist Bruno Hang provide a rich visual tapestry that accentuates strong character emotion even if the narrative itself isn't breaking a lot of ground within the genre as writer Steven S. DeKnight is no stranger to creating a dark narrative shroud having created and run Spartacus for Starz and was Executive Producer and show runner for season one of Marvel's Daredevil.

It's gritty and grimy pulp with some demons thrown in for good measure which if that's your jam, you'll immensely enjoy biting down into.

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read. Of course, I'm a sucker for supernatural noir, especially when it's done this well. It's about a P.I. in a Los Angeles where magic and demons exist. He's investigating a case that has to do with his childhood friends and their fathers. What a terrific ride. I hope DeKnight decides to take a pause from Hollywood again in the future to make more comics. (DeKnight worked on Buffy, Angel and Daredevil among others.) The art is excellent as well. Just an all-around home run.

[Gato · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una crónica negra envuelta en fantasía oscura con acción de sobra y un arte sorprendente, mas personajes atractivos que te invitan a ver mas del mundo que rodea la trama, para finalizar como una historia entretenida con una reflexión al final mucho mas realista de lo que podía esperarme.

[this_curious_thing · Rating 4 out of 5]

8/10. An excellent example of supernatural noir/urban fantasy, and a greatly enjoyable read, with a deeper lesson to boot.

[Minki Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

+ 1940s supernatural noir setting and atmosphere sucks you in for an amazing story
- Craving more story when it ends, focus on story over character development

[André-Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sympa. un sous-hellblazer qui fait le job !