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Velvet
Velvet, Vol. 1: Antes del gran final
El inigualable equipo creativo formado por Ed Brubaker y Steve Epting, que revitalizaran al Capitán América, crearan al Soldado de Invierno y enviaran a la muerte al Centinela de la Libertad regresa con su obra más ambiciosa. El mejor espía del mundo ha sido asesinado y todas las pruebas apuntan hacia Velvet Templeton, la secretaria personal del director de la Agencia. Pero Velvet tiene un secreto oculto... ¡Porque ella también es la mujer viva más peligrosa que existe!
128 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 2014
37 people are currently reading
2768 people want to read
About the author
Ed Brubaker
1,798 books3,009 followersEd Brubaker (born November 17, 1966) is an Eisner Award-winning American cartoonist and writer. He was born at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland.
Brubaker is best known for his work as a comic book writer on such titles as Batman, Daredevil, Captain America, Iron Fist, Catwoman, Gotham Central and Uncanny X-Men. In more recent years, he has focused solely on creator-owned titles for Image Comics, such as Fatale, Criminal, Velvet and Kill or Be Killed.
In 2016, Brubaker ventured into television, joining the writing staff of the HBO series Westworld.
Brubaker is best known for his work as a comic book writer on such titles as Batman, Daredevil, Captain America, Iron Fist, Catwoman, Gotham Central and Uncanny X-Men. In more recent years, he has focused solely on creator-owned titles for Image Comics, such as Fatale, Criminal, Velvet and Kill or Be Killed.
In 2016, Brubaker ventured into television, joining the writing staff of the HBO series Westworld.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 473 reviews
July 4, 2022
I read this entire series as one long story, so the review is for the whole book. But don't worry, there will be no spoilers here.
——————
But you can’t remove yourself from the shadows of the past. Things just don’t happen the easy way.
Meet Templeton. Velvet Templeton.
She’s not just the 40-something secretary to the boss in the time when it was a “boys’ world”, in the 1950s-1970s. She has years of field experience buried under layers of pain and the heavy toll of secret agent work. And she is grimly determined not just to survive but to get to the bottom of deeply buried secrets and conspiracies and shake up the seemingly unshakable foundations of the institution.
It’s perfect retro noir, stylized to look like classic spy movies — think the atmosphere of old Bond movies, but a bit darker and moodier. It’s the artwork that makes my inner voice speak in clipped tones and raspy cadences, with the weight of years lived and loved ones lost weighing heavily on the heart.
Interestingly, the style of it worked when I didn’t expect it to. It’s the “tell” and not “show” voiceover-style narration, and yet despite the dogma that we all tend to subscribe to it actually works perfect for the style and mood.
I loved it. Maybe it got a tad complicated at the end, but a careful reread of the last volume (when not falling asleep at 1 am) helped make things clear. It all works, different than I expected when I started it, but still works well. It’s complex, fierce, moody and so much fun.
4.5 stars, rounding up.
(Be nice to admins in the office. You never know who’s actually a trained secret agent.)
—————
Buddy read with Dennis who is in charge of picking all my future comic book reads, obviously. (But remember, my friend, that with great power comes great responsibility 😆.)
——————
Also posted on my blog.
——————
Recommended by: Dennis
——————
“You people always forget your field ops aren’t just pawns being pushed around the map.”
Dark city streets in bleakly pouring rain. Curtains of cigarette smoke. Dark secrets and conspiracies within conspiracies. Pools of blood. Cynical disillusioned narration. An aging former secret agent suddenly shaken out of the stupor of last couple decades spent numbly pretending to be “normal” and desperately trying to forget.
But you can’t remove yourself from the shadows of the past. Things just don’t happen the easy way.
Meet Templeton. Velvet Templeton.
She’s not just the 40-something secretary to the boss in the time when it was a “boys’ world”, in the 1950s-1970s. She has years of field experience buried under layers of pain and the heavy toll of secret agent work. And she is grimly determined not just to survive but to get to the bottom of deeply buried secrets and conspiracies and shake up the seemingly unshakable foundations of the institution.
It’s perfect retro noir, stylized to look like classic spy movies — think the atmosphere of old Bond movies, but a bit darker and moodier. It’s the artwork that makes my inner voice speak in clipped tones and raspy cadences, with the weight of years lived and loved ones lost weighing heavily on the heart.
Interestingly, the style of it worked when I didn’t expect it to. It’s the “tell” and not “show” voiceover-style narration, and yet despite the dogma that we all tend to subscribe to it actually works perfect for the style and mood.
I loved it. Maybe it got a tad complicated at the end, but a careful reread of the last volume (when not falling asleep at 1 am) helped make things clear. It all works, different than I expected when I started it, but still works well. It’s complex, fierce, moody and so much fun.
4.5 stars, rounding up.
(Be nice to admins in the office. You never know who’s actually a trained secret agent.)
—————
Buddy read with Dennis who is in charge of picking all my future comic book reads, obviously. (But remember, my friend, that with great power comes great responsibility 😆.)
——————
Also posted on my blog.
——————
Recommended by: Dennis
May 23, 2015
4.5 stars
Hey! It's an old chick who can kick ass!
Ok, maybe old isn't the right word, Velvet isn't exactly using a walker to get around, but she's no spring chicken.
Most of the folks at her Top Secret agency think she's just a secretary. Kinda like Bond's Miss Moneypenny.
But when a top agent gets killed, and a highly decorated agent in retirement becomes the suspect, Velvet decides to do a little investigation of her own on the side. And what she discovers is that someone has gone to a lot of trouble to frame that man...and her. Looks like her only option is to go on the run and try to find out who's behind dragging a good agent's name through the mud. But what kind of chance does a secretary have when going up against double agents and assassins?
Turns out, a pretty good one.
Because while she is a secretary, that wasn't always the case.
This Moneypenny gig isn't where she started out. Nope. Back in the day, she was the best of the best.
And she's still got a few tricks up her sleeve...
Dear Mr. Brubaker,
Thank you for making a female heroine who isn't 20 years old, but still has it going on.
Sincerely,
An Old Chick.
This was really a lot of fun to read, and I'm hoping I can continue on with the next volume. And thanks again to Mike for gifting me with this one. I think I have a lead on an Alpha Flight toothbrush...only slightly used!
Hey! It's an old chick who can kick ass!
Ok, maybe old isn't the right word, Velvet isn't exactly using a walker to get around, but she's no spring chicken.
Most of the folks at her Top Secret agency think she's just a secretary. Kinda like Bond's Miss Moneypenny.
But when a top agent gets killed, and a highly decorated agent in retirement becomes the suspect, Velvet decides to do a little investigation of her own on the side. And what she discovers is that someone has gone to a lot of trouble to frame that man...and her. Looks like her only option is to go on the run and try to find out who's behind dragging a good agent's name through the mud. But what kind of chance does a secretary have when going up against double agents and assassins?
Turns out, a pretty good one.
Because while she is a secretary, that wasn't always the case.
This Moneypenny gig isn't where she started out. Nope. Back in the day, she was the best of the best.
And she's still got a few tricks up her sleeve...
Dear Mr. Brubaker,
Thank you for making a female heroine who isn't 20 years old, but still has it going on.
Sincerely,
An Old Chick.
This was really a lot of fun to read, and I'm hoping I can continue on with the next volume. And thanks again to Mike for gifting me with this one. I think I have a lead on an Alpha Flight toothbrush...only slightly used!
January 13, 2018
Other reviewers have already pointed out that this story essentially asks what would happen if James Bond got killed, and it turned out that Miss Moneypenny was more of a bad-ass than he ever was? So in an effort to come up with a new way of describing this I’ll ask what if Sterling Archer got killed, and Cheryl/Carol was more of a bad-ass than he ever was?
In 1973 Velvet Templeton is the secretary to the director of super-secret spy agency ARC-7. After their best agent is ambushed and killed Velvet is implicated as the mole who set him up, but it turns out that she knows a lot more than just how to take shorthand. Velvet was actually a great field agent in the ‘50s before events forced her into accepting a desk job. To clear her name Velvet has to get back in the spy game to track down who actually betrayed their agent.
There’s been a lot of talk lately about the lack of diversity in comics as well as the movies adapted from them, and it’s very refreshing to have the lead of this promising series be a forty-something female in an era where women were either the secretary to the good guys or the honey trap working for the bad guys. And Velvet is an intriguing character with all the skills of Marvel’s Black Widow with the looks of real life hard-boiled crime writer Christa Faust minus the tattoos.
Brubaker again delivers a version of yet another fantastic genre tale with a unique twist to it. Epting’s excellent art is realistic enough to be storyboards for a movie but still stylized to provide the atmosphere of a Bond movie from the Sean Connery era. Maybe its best trick is the way that the story blends the old school comic book style spy action with the darker John le Carre tone of exploring the toll that working in covert espionage takes on someone.
Overall it’s a terrific comic that I can’t wait to read more of.
In 1973 Velvet Templeton is the secretary to the director of super-secret spy agency ARC-7. After their best agent is ambushed and killed Velvet is implicated as the mole who set him up, but it turns out that she knows a lot more than just how to take shorthand. Velvet was actually a great field agent in the ‘50s before events forced her into accepting a desk job. To clear her name Velvet has to get back in the spy game to track down who actually betrayed their agent.
There’s been a lot of talk lately about the lack of diversity in comics as well as the movies adapted from them, and it’s very refreshing to have the lead of this promising series be a forty-something female in an era where women were either the secretary to the good guys or the honey trap working for the bad guys. And Velvet is an intriguing character with all the skills of Marvel’s Black Widow with the looks of real life hard-boiled crime writer Christa Faust minus the tattoos.
Brubaker again delivers a version of yet another fantastic genre tale with a unique twist to it. Epting’s excellent art is realistic enough to be storyboards for a movie but still stylized to provide the atmosphere of a Bond movie from the Sean Connery era. Maybe its best trick is the way that the story blends the old school comic book style spy action with the darker John le Carre tone of exploring the toll that working in covert espionage takes on someone.
Overall it’s a terrific comic that I can’t wait to read more of.
December 7, 2022
(A-) 82% | Very Good
Notes: Review pending re-read. Collected review for volumes 1-3 can be found here: Velvet
Notes: Review pending re-read. Collected review for volumes 1-3 can be found here: Velvet
November 25, 2014
Ed Brubaker has few peers when it comes to the graphic novel spy game.
Case in point: Velvet Templeton, - the personal secretary to the Director of the Agency, Britain’s top spy shop – photographic memory, excellent shorthand, willing to work late hours, brews tea without equal, and was one of the most deadly agents the Agency had ever employed. This is a secret known to only a few, but when the top male agent goes down and she gets swept away in the finger pointing, all bets are off as her training kicks in and the body count starts to go up.
One thing that Brubaker and artist Steve Epting excel at is the ability to transition the reader back into Velvet’s past. With other books that’s an issue that can undo a story in a matter of pages. Here, the ebb and flow of time as it washes over Velvet is expertly and painlessly conveyed.
One of the best series I’ve read this year and highly recommended.
Case in point: Velvet Templeton, - the personal secretary to the Director of the Agency, Britain’s top spy shop – photographic memory, excellent shorthand, willing to work late hours, brews tea without equal, and was one of the most deadly agents the Agency had ever employed. This is a secret known to only a few, but when the top male agent goes down and she gets swept away in the finger pointing, all bets are off as her training kicks in and the body count starts to go up.
One thing that Brubaker and artist Steve Epting excel at is the ability to transition the reader back into Velvet’s past. With other books that’s an issue that can undo a story in a matter of pages. Here, the ebb and flow of time as it washes over Velvet is expertly and painlessly conveyed.
One of the best series I’ve read this year and highly recommended.
August 14, 2019
Velvet is just simply badass . . . period
This has to be one of the best, most well-written, most believable (despite being over the top) spy stories I have ever read. I am a huge James Bond fan, but I think I may have found a new favorite secret agent.
If you are looking for stories with strong female protagonists, look no farther. Velvet is real and raw. Sexy and smooth. Clever and cunning. While she uses her looks and feminine charm to woo the bad guys, she is not a pushover. She just knows men’s weakness and uses it to her advantage. I have read other spy stories or seen movies with main female characters and it just ends up feeling like it is all about sex or the women being used as a tool by the male leaders. That is not the case with Velvet – she is “take charge, no holds barred, do not eff with me” all the way!
The art is so awesome. I went for a search online to fine some images for this review and I had to stop myself. Sometimes I have a hard time finding the perfect ones to include, but this one had plenty of awesome images to grab!
Sometimes I have found spy stories to be rambling and confusing. It’s as if the writer feels like the more sprawling and intricate the espionage is, the more the readers will enjoy. For me, I don’t want to be so lost that I cannot even tell who is really good, who is really bad, and what actually happened in the end. It is amazing how often this happens with spy stories. I did not have that problem with Velvet – the espionage was perfectly intricate and understandable.
If someone does not turn this into a movie or TV show soon, they are missing out! I will be lined up to watch it when they do!
5+++++ Stars!
This has to be one of the best, most well-written, most believable (despite being over the top) spy stories I have ever read. I am a huge James Bond fan, but I think I may have found a new favorite secret agent.
If you are looking for stories with strong female protagonists, look no farther. Velvet is real and raw. Sexy and smooth. Clever and cunning. While she uses her looks and feminine charm to woo the bad guys, she is not a pushover. She just knows men’s weakness and uses it to her advantage. I have read other spy stories or seen movies with main female characters and it just ends up feeling like it is all about sex or the women being used as a tool by the male leaders. That is not the case with Velvet – she is “take charge, no holds barred, do not eff with me” all the way!
The art is so awesome. I went for a search online to fine some images for this review and I had to stop myself. Sometimes I have a hard time finding the perfect ones to include, but this one had plenty of awesome images to grab!
Sometimes I have found spy stories to be rambling and confusing. It’s as if the writer feels like the more sprawling and intricate the espionage is, the more the readers will enjoy. For me, I don’t want to be so lost that I cannot even tell who is really good, who is really bad, and what actually happened in the end. It is amazing how often this happens with spy stories. I did not have that problem with Velvet – the espionage was perfectly intricate and understandable.
If someone does not turn this into a movie or TV show soon, they are missing out! I will be lined up to watch it when they do!
5+++++ Stars!
December 28, 2019
From the creators of the greatest Captain America run in history comes a cold war tale of espionage and betrayal. Imagine if Miss Moneypenny was really a kickass spy. Another bad-ass series from Image. Run out and get this book now.
February 6, 2022
Move over James Bond, Miss Moneypenny is taking over.
Mind if we talk about me for a minute? No? Thanks. So lovely of you.
I've never been a comics fan. I never read comics growing up and my life has always revolved around books, books, books and more books. I remember visiting my cousins as a little girl, seeing comics everywhere and thinking to myself: "these people are weird. Their books are full of pictures. Where are all the words? And what are all these bubbles for anyway?"
So there I was, living happily ever after (figuratively speaking obviously, there are no HEAs, you silly) in my books-only world when I came across a review for The Wicked + The Divine. And I thought to myself: "well that looks intriguing. But it's a comic. I'm not actually considering buying a comic now am I? A silly thing full of pictures? What is wrong with me?" And then I thought to myself: "time to put the crazy on, time to buy a COMIC!"
Wanna know what happened?
Smurfs begone! This ain't no Asterix world! Yes, reading The Wicked + The Divine was pretty much a mystic revelation for me (you know, the skies opening up and all that). So when Nick suggested I read Velvet I just couldn't resist. I mean, spy thriller + girl power? I was doomed. And here we are.
To be honest, I wasn't a HUGE fan of the graphics at first but I have to say they grew on me as the story progressed. And now I think they're very cool. See this ↓↓↓? Very cool I tell you.
I've always been a huge James Bond fan. Not the Daniel Craig version (please don't insult me), the Sean Connery version. What really is amazing here is that Epting perfectly recreates the atmosphere of the early Bond films. Reading this comic actually made me want to watch a "from Dr No to Diamonds Are Forever" marathon (if you have no idea what I'm talking about here let me tell you, your education has been severely lacking).
Some of the art here is absolutely amazing. The level of detail is impressive and the general mood set by Epting fits the era perfectly.
The coolest thing about Velvet? Velvet Templeton, obviously. It's 1973, the height of the Cold War. Velvet is the personal secretary to the director of the MI6-like Agency. After the Agency's best agent is killed, all evidence points to Velvet as the mole behind the execution. Now why would a boring personal assistant have anything to do with the murder of a spy? Velvet isn't your everyday secretary you see. She was one of the agency's top agents in the 1950s, until she was forced into early retirement and ended up spending her days behind a desk. Now what do you do when you're wrongfully accused of a crime? You run for your life and try to clear your name. The race is on.
What I love here is the way Brubaker chose to portray Velvet: a forty-something female spy during the Cold War, generally kicking ass and using men as much as they used women at the time. How will you have your clichés Mr Brubaker? Shaken and stirred, thank you very much. Take that Mr Bond.
The story is simply fantastic. It's dark, fast-paced, action-packed and the flashbacks about Velvet's spy days add a lot of depth to the plot. The twists and turns keep you engaged until the very last page. Open this comic at your own risk. Because when you do you won't be able to put it down.
You like good old spy stories? You like James Bond? You like badass chicks? Then Velvet was made for you. READ IT NOW.
· Vol. 2: The Secret Lives of Dead Men ★★★★
· Vol. 3: The Man Who Stole the World ★★★
Mind if we talk about me for a minute? No? Thanks. So lovely of you.
I've never been a comics fan. I never read comics growing up and my life has always revolved around books, books, books and more books. I remember visiting my cousins as a little girl, seeing comics everywhere and thinking to myself: "these people are weird. Their books are full of pictures. Where are all the words? And what are all these bubbles for anyway?"
So there I was, living happily ever after (figuratively speaking obviously, there are no HEAs, you silly) in my books-only world when I came across a review for The Wicked + The Divine. And I thought to myself: "well that looks intriguing. But it's a comic. I'm not actually considering buying a comic now am I? A silly thing full of pictures? What is wrong with me?" And then I thought to myself: "time to put the crazy on, time to buy a COMIC!"
Wanna know what happened?
Smurfs begone! This ain't no Asterix world! Yes, reading The Wicked + The Divine was pretty much a mystic revelation for me (you know, the skies opening up and all that). So when Nick suggested I read Velvet I just couldn't resist. I mean, spy thriller + girl power? I was doomed. And here we are.
To be honest, I wasn't a HUGE fan of the graphics at first but I have to say they grew on me as the story progressed. And now I think they're very cool. See this ↓↓↓? Very cool I tell you.
I've always been a huge James Bond fan. Not the Daniel Craig version (please don't insult me), the Sean Connery version. What really is amazing here is that Epting perfectly recreates the atmosphere of the early Bond films. Reading this comic actually made me want to watch a "from Dr No to Diamonds Are Forever" marathon (if you have no idea what I'm talking about here let me tell you, your education has been severely lacking).
Some of the art here is absolutely amazing. The level of detail is impressive and the general mood set by Epting fits the era perfectly.
The coolest thing about Velvet? Velvet Templeton, obviously. It's 1973, the height of the Cold War. Velvet is the personal secretary to the director of the MI6-like Agency. After the Agency's best agent is killed, all evidence points to Velvet as the mole behind the execution. Now why would a boring personal assistant have anything to do with the murder of a spy? Velvet isn't your everyday secretary you see. She was one of the agency's top agents in the 1950s, until she was forced into early retirement and ended up spending her days behind a desk. Now what do you do when you're wrongfully accused of a crime? You run for your life and try to clear your name. The race is on.
What I love here is the way Brubaker chose to portray Velvet: a forty-something female spy during the Cold War, generally kicking ass and using men as much as they used women at the time. How will you have your clichés Mr Brubaker? Shaken and stirred, thank you very much. Take that Mr Bond.
The story is simply fantastic. It's dark, fast-paced, action-packed and the flashbacks about Velvet's spy days add a lot of depth to the plot. The twists and turns keep you engaged until the very last page. Open this comic at your own risk. Because when you do you won't be able to put it down.
You like good old spy stories? You like James Bond? You like badass chicks? Then Velvet was made for you. READ IT NOW.
· Vol. 2: The Secret Lives of Dead Men ★★★★
· Vol. 3: The Man Who Stole the World ★★★
May 24, 2014
What if Miss Moneypenny was more than just a secretary – what if she was actually deadlier than Bond? And what would happen if she was backed into a corner?
Velvet Templeton is a desk jockey in an MI6 facsimile called ARC-7 at the height of the Cold War in 1973. X-14, the agency’s best spy, is killed by an unknown assassin, as is the retired agent who trained him – and Velvet has been framed for the murders!
Hunted as a traitor by her former employers, they quickly realise she’s far more accomplished than she let on and is extremely dangerous. So begins Velvet’s investigation to find the real killer and clear her name, a journey that takes her deep into the Soviet bloc, the world of double agents and her own past – who’s working for who?
The first, last and only thing that needs to be said about Velvet is, oh lordy trouble so hard, Steve Epting’s art is INCREDIBLE!! His work on previous collaborations with Ed Brubaker over at Marvel, like their amazing Captain America run which included The Winter Soldier, as well as The Marvels Project, has always been first class, but his work on Velvet - man, who knew that by taking away the masks and capes, Epting would find a near-zen level of art?
It’s photorealistic in a way that’s not too real and not too unreal either - it’s a perfect balance that mixes comics with reality in an enormously pleasing way. And, unlike other photorealistic art styles, his figures never look clunky or stiff, which is crucial because there’s a lot of fast-paced action in this book. The car chase in the second chapter is something else, he plots it so well, panel by panel, that it’s like watching a film - in fact there’s something to say about every set piece here in the way Epting’s chosen to execute it, but it’s the quieter moments that you get to see the genius in his work through his subtlety.
There’s a scene in the rain at night when a subordinate goes to his boss at the front door of a gentleman’s club where he reports to him that Velvet got away. The rain’s coming down, their conversation is lamplit, and… it’s breathtaking. You can almost hear the rain in that scene and I swear, if you look at the panels askance, the characters freaking move!
You know what, I’m going to stop there because I’m starting to foam at the mouth (and I haven’t even mentioned the Carnival of Fools sequence!) but my word, Steve Epting - his work on Velvet is a career best from an already impressive career.
Let’s talk about the story because the “spy on the run” thing has been done before and yet somehow Ed Brubaker’s managed to breathe new life into it. Brubaker really proves that it’s not the originality of the concept but the execution that matters, and, despite noting plot elements from other spy stories, Velvet’s journey into the dark hearts of international government affairs is never less than riveting every step of the way.
Lest you think it’s all spies sneaking in shadows with tiny cameras, Velvet proves she’s got the goods several times here, destroying groups of armed soldiers and assassins in hand-to-hand combat, driving insanely into oncoming traffic, leaping off of buildings, going to casinos, using cool experimental gadgets, even bedding hot younger men - she IS the female Bond!
Spy stories can sometimes get a little convoluted when double agents are introduced and the reader has to follow who’s really working for who and who’s selling out who, but Brubaker is able to keep all the threads straight so that when he utilises flashbacks (sparingly), it’s to full effect, fleshing out the current scene while keeping the plot propelling forwards.
And while I’ve mentioned Bond, Brubaker’s Velvet highlights the dark side of the spy game showing the effects it has on the spies themselves rather than just focusing on the flashy, exciting good times. It really is Brubaker’s best work in years.
Velvet’s creative team fires on all cylinders with both Brubaker and Epting spinning their most compelling collaborative effort yet with an outstanding original character. It’s also one of the best spy thrillers I’ve ever read - comics or prose fiction - and easily the best looking one too thanks to Epting’s work. Do NOT miss this masterpiece in the making!
Velvet Templeton is a desk jockey in an MI6 facsimile called ARC-7 at the height of the Cold War in 1973. X-14, the agency’s best spy, is killed by an unknown assassin, as is the retired agent who trained him – and Velvet has been framed for the murders!
Hunted as a traitor by her former employers, they quickly realise she’s far more accomplished than she let on and is extremely dangerous. So begins Velvet’s investigation to find the real killer and clear her name, a journey that takes her deep into the Soviet bloc, the world of double agents and her own past – who’s working for who?
The first, last and only thing that needs to be said about Velvet is, oh lordy trouble so hard, Steve Epting’s art is INCREDIBLE!! His work on previous collaborations with Ed Brubaker over at Marvel, like their amazing Captain America run which included The Winter Soldier, as well as The Marvels Project, has always been first class, but his work on Velvet - man, who knew that by taking away the masks and capes, Epting would find a near-zen level of art?
It’s photorealistic in a way that’s not too real and not too unreal either - it’s a perfect balance that mixes comics with reality in an enormously pleasing way. And, unlike other photorealistic art styles, his figures never look clunky or stiff, which is crucial because there’s a lot of fast-paced action in this book. The car chase in the second chapter is something else, he plots it so well, panel by panel, that it’s like watching a film - in fact there’s something to say about every set piece here in the way Epting’s chosen to execute it, but it’s the quieter moments that you get to see the genius in his work through his subtlety.
There’s a scene in the rain at night when a subordinate goes to his boss at the front door of a gentleman’s club where he reports to him that Velvet got away. The rain’s coming down, their conversation is lamplit, and… it’s breathtaking. You can almost hear the rain in that scene and I swear, if you look at the panels askance, the characters freaking move!
You know what, I’m going to stop there because I’m starting to foam at the mouth (and I haven’t even mentioned the Carnival of Fools sequence!) but my word, Steve Epting - his work on Velvet is a career best from an already impressive career.
Let’s talk about the story because the “spy on the run” thing has been done before and yet somehow Ed Brubaker’s managed to breathe new life into it. Brubaker really proves that it’s not the originality of the concept but the execution that matters, and, despite noting plot elements from other spy stories, Velvet’s journey into the dark hearts of international government affairs is never less than riveting every step of the way.
Lest you think it’s all spies sneaking in shadows with tiny cameras, Velvet proves she’s got the goods several times here, destroying groups of armed soldiers and assassins in hand-to-hand combat, driving insanely into oncoming traffic, leaping off of buildings, going to casinos, using cool experimental gadgets, even bedding hot younger men - she IS the female Bond!
Spy stories can sometimes get a little convoluted when double agents are introduced and the reader has to follow who’s really working for who and who’s selling out who, but Brubaker is able to keep all the threads straight so that when he utilises flashbacks (sparingly), it’s to full effect, fleshing out the current scene while keeping the plot propelling forwards.
And while I’ve mentioned Bond, Brubaker’s Velvet highlights the dark side of the spy game showing the effects it has on the spies themselves rather than just focusing on the flashy, exciting good times. It really is Brubaker’s best work in years.
Velvet’s creative team fires on all cylinders with both Brubaker and Epting spinning their most compelling collaborative effort yet with an outstanding original character. It’s also one of the best spy thrillers I’ve ever read - comics or prose fiction - and easily the best looking one too thanks to Epting’s work. Do NOT miss this masterpiece in the making!
July 4, 2022
2022 buddy (re)read with Nataliya:
I'm glad that this one holds up to my gushing memory of it. Wonderful noir atmosphere, great artwork and most of all an awesome main character. Velvet Templeton is just such a cool character. Love her. Love the book. :)
2018 review:
Nothing short of spectacular!
I'm probably only repeating what other reviewers said already. But this comic is like a good old James Bond movie.
We travel around the world to uncover the reasons behind the death of an agent and kick the asses of some villains. Doing it in style, of course.
Only this time the main protagonist is not a womanizer, but a female secretary. But she is so much more than her profession. And she's no twentysomething babe either. She's in her early fourties and she seriously kicks ass.
Very rarely have I cheered on a character in a book or a movie the way I did here.
This was such a refreshing take on the spy genre. Highly entertaining!
The art, with its realistic looking retro style, is fantastic as well. And we visit some beautiful cities, like Paris, London, New York, Vienna, Belgrade, Monte Carlo. The list goes on. It was beautiful to look at.
This thing is nearly perfect. Just here and there a little too much tell, rather than show. But that's only a minor complaint.
4.5 stars, I gladly round up to five. Because I loved this one.
Highly recommended!
Recommended by Trish
I'm glad that this one holds up to my gushing memory of it. Wonderful noir atmosphere, great artwork and most of all an awesome main character. Velvet Templeton is just such a cool character. Love her. Love the book. :)
2018 review:
Nothing short of spectacular!
I'm probably only repeating what other reviewers said already. But this comic is like a good old James Bond movie.
We travel around the world to uncover the reasons behind the death of an agent and kick the asses of some villains. Doing it in style, of course.
Only this time the main protagonist is not a womanizer, but a female secretary. But she is so much more than her profession. And she's no twentysomething babe either. She's in her early fourties and she seriously kicks ass.
Very rarely have I cheered on a character in a book or a movie the way I did here.
This was such a refreshing take on the spy genre. Highly entertaining!
The art, with its realistic looking retro style, is fantastic as well. And we visit some beautiful cities, like Paris, London, New York, Vienna, Belgrade, Monte Carlo. The list goes on. It was beautiful to look at.
This thing is nearly perfect. Just here and there a little too much tell, rather than show. But that's only a minor complaint.
4.5 stars, I gladly round up to five. Because I loved this one.
Highly recommended!
Recommended by Trish
October 1, 2016
Holy shit! Some people just got their asses handed to them. By a woman. By a woman clearly over 30!
How many times has some arrogant suit walked into my office, thinking he owns the world and I was his servant because I'm just a secretary. *imitates very annoying nasal voice*
And how many times have I wanted to punch that kind of guy?! EXACTLY!
Velvet is a secretary. Well, not JUST ANY secretary but also a secretary. And she's not taking shit from anybody, that's for sure. From page 1 we know that she's a little minx, having fun with a lot of agents of that secret agency she's working for. We also see her getting framed in a murder conspiracy that killed one of the best agents (with whom she had slept a couple of times).
So what is she supposed to do other than suiting up, taking matters into her own - very capable - hands and proving her innocence by taking down the ones behind this conspiracy?
I really don't want to give away more of the story. Instead, I'd like to focus on Velvet herself.
First thing I noticed is the similarity between her and X-Men's Rogue. That white strand of hair ... I just couldn't stop thinking about that. But that's just me. *lol*
The actual first thing that basically jumps the reader is that this woman isn't a teenager. Usually, heroines (in movies and comic books) are in their 20s. Late 20s at the most. It's as if women die when they turn 30. Urgh. I'm not 30 yet but even I get exasperated by that. I mean, developing a skill (any skill) takes time. So when did the usual heroines start their training? Back in kindergarden?!
Also, Velvet proves beyond a doubt that women, no matter their age, can be sexy as hell. I'm not usually into women but boy was Velvet sexy! I might have developed a crush on her. ;p
She can do what the men in the story can do and then some. Also, she uses not just her muscles but also her brain. Huge plus.
I've liked secret agent stories for quite a while, can't wait to see the latest James Bond, definitely like women kicking ass and the age-thing really sold it. Thus, it was fairly easy for some people here to talk me into buying and reading this.
Comic books might not be my number one genre but there seem to be a few gems that are exactly what I like. I definitely loved this!
In fact, I loved this so much that I've alredy started the next one. ;p
How many times has some arrogant suit walked into my office, thinking he owns the world and I was his servant because I'm just a secretary. *imitates very annoying nasal voice*
And how many times have I wanted to punch that kind of guy?! EXACTLY!
Velvet is a secretary. Well, not JUST ANY secretary but also a secretary. And she's not taking shit from anybody, that's for sure. From page 1 we know that she's a little minx, having fun with a lot of agents of that secret agency she's working for. We also see her getting framed in a murder conspiracy that killed one of the best agents (with whom she had slept a couple of times).
So what is she supposed to do other than suiting up, taking matters into her own - very capable - hands and proving her innocence by taking down the ones behind this conspiracy?
I really don't want to give away more of the story. Instead, I'd like to focus on Velvet herself.
First thing I noticed is the similarity between her and X-Men's Rogue. That white strand of hair ... I just couldn't stop thinking about that. But that's just me. *lol*
The actual first thing that basically jumps the reader is that this woman isn't a teenager. Usually, heroines (in movies and comic books) are in their 20s. Late 20s at the most. It's as if women die when they turn 30. Urgh. I'm not 30 yet but even I get exasperated by that. I mean, developing a skill (any skill) takes time. So when did the usual heroines start their training? Back in kindergarden?!
Also, Velvet proves beyond a doubt that women, no matter their age, can be sexy as hell. I'm not usually into women but boy was Velvet sexy! I might have developed a crush on her. ;p
She can do what the men in the story can do and then some. Also, she uses not just her muscles but also her brain. Huge plus.
I've liked secret agent stories for quite a while, can't wait to see the latest James Bond, definitely like women kicking ass and the age-thing really sold it. Thus, it was fairly easy for some people here to talk me into buying and reading this.
Comic books might not be my number one genre but there seem to be a few gems that are exactly what I like. I definitely loved this!
In fact, I loved this so much that I've alredy started the next one. ;p
February 21, 2017
"That's the problem with lies...they're so much prettier than the truth."
Okay, that was fun. I mean there's still Brubaker drama and darkness, but what a great story and fantastic artwork!
I'm not really a fan of spy thrillers. I do enjoy James Bond movies. But this was surprisingly entertaining, not at all dry, and it kept me on my toes. There's great action and intrigue, mystery, exotic characters, and tons of violence: fighting, shooting, chasing, and of course EXPLOSIONS! The violence is pretty graphic, standard fare for Brubaker, and it's awesome.
"I was raw, I was angry, I was real."
I really enjoy Velvet Templeton as a character. She quickly sheds her frankly demeaning secretary disguise to become a strong, independent, smart, and badass woman. She's older but still attractive (not that it matters, really) and kicks the shit out of tons of dudes! At first I thought she was being portrayed as a little too sexually easy going, but I realized that's a play on the trope of male spies being womanizers. And she has sex when and how she wants to suit her needs. I mean, that is empowerment, isn't it? There is nudity but it's subtle, which I also find flattering.
Steve Epting's artwork is beautiful. He can definitely keep up with Brubaker's usual partner Sean Phillips and that's truly saying something. And his illustration style is less cartoony and more rich and painterly, and when combined with Elizabeth Breitweiser's fantastic subtle colors creates great depth. The artwork alone is worth admission.
Another brilliant work by Brubaker. I was surprised by its depth and that of Velvet. You'd think she'd just be "some girl" shooting and jumping motorcycles, and she does those things, but she has a complex and tragic past you'll be excited to read about.
March 25, 2015
Dave's Quick Judgement -
THE DEFENSE
- Lead heroine is kick-ass, yet also sympathetic.
- More emotional depth than you find in your average spy thriller.
- Plenty of action.
- Velvet's inner dialogue is even more heart-pounding than the action sequences.
- Jaw-dropping twist at the end.
THE PROSECUTION
- Unfortunately, there's also still loads of unanswered questions at the end.
- Only 128 pages?!? I WANT MORE!!!!!
THE VERDICT
Much like he did with his sublime "Sleeper" series, Ed Brubaker once again proves he's the absolute best at bringing the world of espionage to the graphic novel genre!
FULL REVIEW TO COME
THE DEFENSE
- Lead heroine is kick-ass, yet also sympathetic.
- More emotional depth than you find in your average spy thriller.
- Plenty of action.
- Velvet's inner dialogue is even more heart-pounding than the action sequences.
- Jaw-dropping twist at the end.
THE PROSECUTION
- Unfortunately, there's also still loads of unanswered questions at the end.
- Only 128 pages?!? I WANT MORE!!!!!
THE VERDICT
Much like he did with his sublime "Sleeper" series, Ed Brubaker once again proves he's the absolute best at bringing the world of espionage to the graphic novel genre!
FULL REVIEW TO COME
August 22, 2023
A spy-espionage story full of betrayal, back-stabbing, double-agents, false double-agents, the US and Russia conflict, and lots of gun fights.
I'm not sure I can say much else about this book. It was a fun read, but I don't feel like it did anything I haven't seen in numerous spy-action films before. It especially reminded me of the recent Hollywood film Salt (which was about a Russian spy infiltrating the US spy agency). I guess I'm just sort of bored with the concept of this book. Other than that it was an excellent take on the genre (hence the three star rating).
Also, the art is extraordinary and worth picking up just for that. Epting elevates the story, and I would not have enjoyed this if it were not for him.
I'm not sure I can say much else about this book. It was a fun read, but I don't feel like it did anything I haven't seen in numerous spy-action films before. It especially reminded me of the recent Hollywood film Salt (which was about a Russian spy infiltrating the US spy agency). I guess I'm just sort of bored with the concept of this book. Other than that it was an excellent take on the genre (hence the three star rating).
Also, the art is extraordinary and worth picking up just for that. Epting elevates the story, and I would not have enjoyed this if it were not for him.
August 3, 2014
This is like a great Bond movie. Except that Miss Moneypenny is the star, and she's far more accomplished and dangerous a spy than anyone ever expected. Brubaker does some of his best work away from the capes, so I was far from surprised with how fantastically he wrote this spy thriller. I'm fascinated by the story, which promises to have far more twists and turns ahead. And I love Velvet herself, as much as I love Brubaker for inventing a Cold War female spy who's more than sex appeal. I also love him for visiting the aftermath of a Bond-style seduction, and showing what might happen to those women left in his wake.
And the art? Sheer perfection. I'm not really good at talking about art in a book review, and this sure won't be an exception. But I can say that the mood, the level of detail, everything is absolutely perfect for this style of book set in this era. Magnificent work.
I love Brubaker's work, enough that I was eager to read this knowing little more than that it was his work, and it didn't have superheroes. That was all I needed to know, and I was right. This is just great work.
And the art? Sheer perfection. I'm not really good at talking about art in a book review, and this sure won't be an exception. But I can say that the mood, the level of detail, everything is absolutely perfect for this style of book set in this era. Magnificent work.
I love Brubaker's work, enough that I was eager to read this knowing little more than that it was his work, and it didn't have superheroes. That was all I needed to know, and I was right. This is just great work.
October 31, 2017
Another fantastic spy/noir thriller from Brubaker. He really is the best at this kind of story and it's the first time I've seen a female spy written so well.
Her name is velvet and she's the secretary for a super dooper secret spy agency. What even the spies don't know is that she used to be the best spy in the agency.
The story: a super dooper secret agent gets killed and that is super rare for this agency which means only one thing - there's a mole in the agency! Commence action and espionage and accusations and velvet is on the run! She's being framed for the murder of an old friend.
Now it's up to her to find out what happened.
The way she's portrayed in this is likened to a female James Bond, but with class. It was a really enjoyable thriller and I can't wait to read the next volume. I highly recommend this and all of brubaker's noir and spy work. If you like this you will love 'the fade out'.
Her name is velvet and she's the secretary for a super dooper secret spy agency. What even the spies don't know is that she used to be the best spy in the agency.
The story: a super dooper secret agent gets killed and that is super rare for this agency which means only one thing - there's a mole in the agency! Commence action and espionage and accusations and velvet is on the run! She's being framed for the murder of an old friend.
Now it's up to her to find out what happened.
The way she's portrayed in this is likened to a female James Bond, but with class. It was a really enjoyable thriller and I can't wait to read the next volume. I highly recommend this and all of brubaker's noir and spy work. If you like this you will love 'the fade out'.
July 14, 2022
Brubaker does spy stuff!!! It's not bad, it's just that I'm not that interested in James Bond-y spy stuff, and this leans heavily in that direction.
Another doomed buddy read with Sickli P..
Another doomed buddy read with Sickli P..
September 24, 2015
Velvet is the Real Deal!!!
I picked this up because I have enjoyed other volumes by Brubaker. He definitely has the noir, crime story vibe down. This book is about a woman who everyone has been overlooked because she's the Moneypenny (as in Miss Moneypenny from the James Bond series). Nice to flirt with, make travel arrangements, and take notes in the meetings for her Director. She holds the keys to the kingdom in that way that Executive Assistants often do, but not who you would consider a field agent. Well, they learn quite to their surprise that still waters run deep. This woman is a serious bad*ss! When one of the field agents get killed and the frame starts to fit Velvet Templeton, she goes off the reservation and puts herself back into active service. It turns out she's one of the most lethal agents her agency ever ran.
I'm a huge spy fan. I especially love action-oriented spy stories. While I will occasionally sit down and watch a movie like "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" (admittedly for Benedict Cumberbatch), I prefer spy stories with lots and lots of action. This one doesn't disappoint. And I love that the beginning is a bit of a misdirection. You think this is about the boys, but nope. This woman gives the boys a run for their number. Keep reading and you realize exactly why this is called "Velvet."
I loved this book. It's violent and has some sexual content, but nothing I couldn't handle. I'm giving Velvet a high-five. She's definitely a Grade A Kickbutt Artist, and she knows her spycraft just as well as James Bond. If things had went differently, perhaps Sydney Bristow might have ended up like Velvet. I'm reading Volume 2 right now and it's probably even better!
This so needs to be a movie one day!
Overall rating: 4.5/5.0 stars.
I picked this up because I have enjoyed other volumes by Brubaker. He definitely has the noir, crime story vibe down. This book is about a woman who everyone has been overlooked because she's the Moneypenny (as in Miss Moneypenny from the James Bond series). Nice to flirt with, make travel arrangements, and take notes in the meetings for her Director. She holds the keys to the kingdom in that way that Executive Assistants often do, but not who you would consider a field agent. Well, they learn quite to their surprise that still waters run deep. This woman is a serious bad*ss! When one of the field agents get killed and the frame starts to fit Velvet Templeton, she goes off the reservation and puts herself back into active service. It turns out she's one of the most lethal agents her agency ever ran.
I'm a huge spy fan. I especially love action-oriented spy stories. While I will occasionally sit down and watch a movie like "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" (admittedly for Benedict Cumberbatch), I prefer spy stories with lots and lots of action. This one doesn't disappoint. And I love that the beginning is a bit of a misdirection. You think this is about the boys, but nope. This woman gives the boys a run for their number. Keep reading and you realize exactly why this is called "Velvet."
I loved this book. It's violent and has some sexual content, but nothing I couldn't handle. I'm giving Velvet a high-five. She's definitely a Grade A Kickbutt Artist, and she knows her spycraft just as well as James Bond. If things had went differently, perhaps Sydney Bristow might have ended up like Velvet. I'm reading Volume 2 right now and it's probably even better!
This so needs to be a movie one day!
Overall rating: 4.5/5.0 stars.
September 8, 2014
When the top agent for the spy organization ARC-7 is murdered, all evidence points to Velvet Templeton, the unassuming organization’s secretary. She’s innocent but capturing her is proving difficult and those hot on her trail are meeting the true Velvet, the retired secret agent with the skills to pay the bills.
While recently on vacation in Ottawa, I dropped into The Comic Shoppe to pick up Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips new noir series The Fade Out. I couldn’t find it so I asked the clerk if he had any available. When he came back with issue one, he asked if I had already picked up Brubaker’s new trade, The Velvet. Even though everyone on Goodreads had been raving about it, it had somehow slipped my mind. I went in for one issue but came out with two books! It was like comic book Christmas.
Image is putting out some of the best work in the industry right now (Saga, The Fade Out, Fatale, The Walking Dead) and Velvet is no exception. Ed Brubaker’s razor sharp writing paired alongside Steve Epting’s beautiful artwork combine to create a compelling vision of mid 20th century cold war hysteria. There are enough twists and turns in here to keep its audience engaged and it certainly doesn't hurt to have such jaw-droppingly gorgeous visuals either.
I can’t wait for volume two. Write, Brubaker, write!
Also posted @ Every Read Thing
While recently on vacation in Ottawa, I dropped into The Comic Shoppe to pick up Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips new noir series The Fade Out. I couldn’t find it so I asked the clerk if he had any available. When he came back with issue one, he asked if I had already picked up Brubaker’s new trade, The Velvet. Even though everyone on Goodreads had been raving about it, it had somehow slipped my mind. I went in for one issue but came out with two books! It was like comic book Christmas.
Image is putting out some of the best work in the industry right now (Saga, The Fade Out, Fatale, The Walking Dead) and Velvet is no exception. Ed Brubaker’s razor sharp writing paired alongside Steve Epting’s beautiful artwork combine to create a compelling vision of mid 20th century cold war hysteria. There are enough twists and turns in here to keep its audience engaged and it certainly doesn't hurt to have such jaw-droppingly gorgeous visuals either.
I can’t wait for volume two. Write, Brubaker, write!
Also posted @ Every Read Thing
July 17, 2019
Yeah, this is some awesome reading!
What’s it about?
A top agent has died (ya know like a 007/Sterling Archer type). The secretary Velvet Templeton wants answers. The thing is Velvet is more bad-ass than anyone else in the agency!
Why it gets 5 stars:
The story is pretty cool. I like espionage stuff and Brubaker certainly wrote a cool espionage book here!
The art is fucking amazing! Epting and Breitweiser are a fantastic duo! The art in this is freaking awesome!
(Note: the darker panels are also awesome. THE WHOLE FUCKING THING IS AWESOME)
The characters are pretty interesting. Velvet is an outstanding example of today’s bad-ass female action heroes in comics. She’s bad-ass, shows emotions and even though she’s in her 30s or 40s is still hot (as in could easily seduce me and I’m only 18).
(Sigh...)
The action scenes are frequent, intense and violent. I would dare say that this comic contains some of the best spy related action I have seen in entertainment, it’s outstanding!
This comic is not predictable. Lots of suspense.
There’s a bit of comic relief that works well.
The dialogue is good.
The narrative is very well written and engaging! Definitely gets readers really into the story. Brubaker is a master at storytelling and it shows here.
Overall:
This book is a masterpiece in espionage fiction! Brubaker is an awesome writer. Mix that with the great duo of Epting and Breitweiser, you’re gonna get a fucking awesome comic!
It’s an interesting story about a great protagonist with amazing artwork and action throughout. There’s nothing negative to say about this one. Read it.
Highly recommended!
5/5
What’s it about?
A top agent has died (ya know like a 007/Sterling Archer type). The secretary Velvet Templeton wants answers. The thing is Velvet is more bad-ass than anyone else in the agency!
Why it gets 5 stars:
The story is pretty cool. I like espionage stuff and Brubaker certainly wrote a cool espionage book here!
The art is fucking amazing! Epting and Breitweiser are a fantastic duo! The art in this is freaking awesome!
(Note: the darker panels are also awesome. THE WHOLE FUCKING THING IS AWESOME)
The characters are pretty interesting. Velvet is an outstanding example of today’s bad-ass female action heroes in comics. She’s bad-ass, shows emotions and even though she’s in her 30s or 40s is still hot (as in could easily seduce me and I’m only 18).
(Sigh...)
The action scenes are frequent, intense and violent. I would dare say that this comic contains some of the best spy related action I have seen in entertainment, it’s outstanding!
This comic is not predictable. Lots of suspense.
There’s a bit of comic relief that works well.
The dialogue is good.
The narrative is very well written and engaging! Definitely gets readers really into the story. Brubaker is a master at storytelling and it shows here.
Overall:
This book is a masterpiece in espionage fiction! Brubaker is an awesome writer. Mix that with the great duo of Epting and Breitweiser, you’re gonna get a fucking awesome comic!
It’s an interesting story about a great protagonist with amazing artwork and action throughout. There’s nothing negative to say about this one. Read it.
Highly recommended!
5/5
February 16, 2019
Awesome introduction to the Velvet story. It's dark, noir-tinged, sexy, exciting, with terrific artwork and a storyline worth following. Velvet was a top notch British agent breaking hearts and bones from Monaco to Cairo before something happened and she settled in as a trusted secretary at headquarters. But, now she's got blood on her hands, caught red-handed with a secret agent corpse. She's on the run and no one believes her anymore. I'm not a big fan of graphic novels, but this series has it all.
July 25, 2022
*Buddy read with Agent Mockinghans*
A thoroughly average spy comic that did nothing new nor anything particularly interesting. It had your regular run-of-the-mill action, subterfuge, undercover, infiltration, etc, etc. So, in a sense, it ticked all the necessary boxes, but it didn't feel like enough because there was nothing exciting or gripping about it.
And this was largely due to the fact that the protagonist had the emotional range of wooden stick, almost identical to the ones found up the behinds of the male characters chasing her without an ounce of logic. The protagonist, Velvet, conveyed no emotions at all in her endless drivel of a narration and nor was there any emotions in the art. Her character design reminded me of a skunk. What was the thought process behind the decision to give her a discount money piece? As a 90's trend it doesn't even make sense to employ it here in a story set in the 1970s. And why is it only on one side of the face when she has a side parting? The point of money piece highlights are that the highlighted chunk of hair at the front frames the face. It being on only one side makes for such an odd look and her hair is too long to suit the style. And the fact that I have more to say on her hair than the actual plot of this vol just goes to show how bland and circular it was.
(Recommended by Jayson and Anne)
A thoroughly average spy comic that did nothing new nor anything particularly interesting. It had your regular run-of-the-mill action, subterfuge, undercover, infiltration, etc, etc. So, in a sense, it ticked all the necessary boxes, but it didn't feel like enough because there was nothing exciting or gripping about it.
And this was largely due to the fact that the protagonist had the emotional range of wooden stick, almost identical to the ones found up the behinds of the male characters chasing her without an ounce of logic. The protagonist, Velvet, conveyed no emotions at all in her endless drivel of a narration and nor was there any emotions in the art. Her character design reminded me of a skunk. What was the thought process behind the decision to give her a discount money piece? As a 90's trend it doesn't even make sense to employ it here in a story set in the 1970s. And why is it only on one side of the face when she has a side parting? The point of money piece highlights are that the highlighted chunk of hair at the front frames the face. It being on only one side makes for such an odd look and her hair is too long to suit the style. And the fact that I have more to say on her hair than the actual plot of this vol just goes to show how bland and circular it was.
(Recommended by Jayson and Anne)
June 17, 2024
Steve Epting and Ed Brubaker release a spy comic through Image and I end up loving it. Am I becoming predictable? Probably. But as long as I get comics that I like, I don't really care.
Velvet Templeton breaks the 'Moneypenny' archetype in the spy genre, and see's the female leaving the desk and heading into the field. She's the main character in the story, and it's really cool seeing a female take a lead. It feels refreshing. There are plenty of good spy stories out there that see men take on the undercover world, and this is heavily influenced by them. It has the real world feel of Tinker Tailor, but also has the gadgets and action of James Bond and Mission Impossible. Brubaker pulls a lot of tropes and cliches together and turns them on their head by heaving a female in the lead in order to tell his story, and it's so good.
Velvet Templeton breaks the 'Moneypenny' archetype in the spy genre, and see's the female leaving the desk and heading into the field. She's the main character in the story, and it's really cool seeing a female take a lead. It feels refreshing. There are plenty of good spy stories out there that see men take on the undercover world, and this is heavily influenced by them. It has the real world feel of Tinker Tailor, but also has the gadgets and action of James Bond and Mission Impossible. Brubaker pulls a lot of tropes and cliches together and turns them on their head by heaving a female in the lead in order to tell his story, and it's so good.
November 28, 2015
This is highly accomplished work by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting, a great team. The art is especially good, and Brubaker is as usual a terrific storyteller. There's nothing here that is all that original in this Bond kinda thriller, I think, but the dialogue is Brubaker lean and it works well with the polished artwork that like Bond moves from sophisticated to violent. Okay, this one is more violent than the often cartoonish Bond. The original twist in this is that Velvet is the main character, and she is older, a former special-ops secretary in the Moneypenny vein, except this woman is really highly skilled and always has been. I thought of the secretary that Gwyneth Paltrow plays in Ironman, that is emerging as an action figure in her own right, but Velvet is darker, more noir, has a more complicated history than the Paltrow character, of course.
Brubaker and Epting's Velvet is part of the steady surge (but still small percentage) of strong female central characters in comics, but Velvet is not only a woman, who would typically look like Wonderwoman for the mainly young male readership, but she is an older woman. . . (think: aging Dark Knight Returns, but not quite that dark vision of the world) which gives us the opportunity to flash back to her past as well as tell the tale of the present. But given the focus on younger women in comics, having an older one who kicks ass is refreshing. Almost feels edgy in the comics universe, unfortunately.
This could be really awesome. It probably will be with this team. It is a great start, and I hope as with Brubaker's other work, it only gets better. It feels lean to me, not too much dialogue, very spare, and I like that. Just enough.
Brubaker and Epting's Velvet is part of the steady surge (but still small percentage) of strong female central characters in comics, but Velvet is not only a woman, who would typically look like Wonderwoman for the mainly young male readership, but she is an older woman. . . (think: aging Dark Knight Returns, but not quite that dark vision of the world) which gives us the opportunity to flash back to her past as well as tell the tale of the present. But given the focus on younger women in comics, having an older one who kicks ass is refreshing. Almost feels edgy in the comics universe, unfortunately.
This could be really awesome. It probably will be with this team. It is a great start, and I hope as with Brubaker's other work, it only gets better. It feels lean to me, not too much dialogue, very spare, and I like that. Just enough.
February 11, 2015
So apparently I only half finished this back when I thought I had finished it. Pleasant surprise really, because I got to continue with the story and finish it tonight.
If you want to read an AWESOME review of this, you can skip the rest of what I have to say and check out oOSarahOo's Review of Velvet, Vol. 1: Before the Living End. Really, go check it out.
So I don't really have much to say that she hasn't, but this is a kick ass graphic novel. Let me share some of my own personal favorite panels and quotations:
"And if there's one thing I've learned the past 18 years, it's that assistants run the world..."
<#MedicalRecordsAssistant, you're welcome community.
"...any fight that lasts longer than five seconds is hell. I prefer the one second kind... where I'm the only one who even knows there is a fight."
^^Yeah. She just jumped from a MOVING CAR onto a MOVING MOTORCYCLE. Deal with it.
This is a fun jaunt. Action packed, witty, and a kick ass female lead; it really speaks for itself.
If you want to read an AWESOME review of this, you can skip the rest of what I have to say and check out oOSarahOo's Review of Velvet, Vol. 1: Before the Living End. Really, go check it out.
So I don't really have much to say that she hasn't, but this is a kick ass graphic novel. Let me share some of my own personal favorite panels and quotations:
"And if there's one thing I've learned the past 18 years, it's that assistants run the world..."
<#MedicalRecordsAssistant, you're welcome community.
"...any fight that lasts longer than five seconds is hell. I prefer the one second kind... where I'm the only one who even knows there is a fight."
^^Yeah. She just jumped from a MOVING CAR onto a MOVING MOTORCYCLE. Deal with it.
This is a fun jaunt. Action packed, witty, and a kick ass female lead; it really speaks for itself.
July 19, 2016
Re-read 2016
Before finishing Velvet's first big arc with the last issue of volume 3 being released tomorrow, I wanted to refresh my memory of the series. I really think it should be read in one big chunk, so many small but important details are so easily forgotten in long pauses between the issues. That said, I think Velvet is, to date, the best thing Ed Brubaker has ever written. It's just awesome. The story is so well-written, it sucks you in and doesn't let go until you've finished the volume, and then you're just left wanting more. And Steve Epting's art and Elisabeth Breitweiser's colours are absolutely gorgeous, a great bonus to go with such an incredible story. In short, Velvet is a brilliant, and any fan of crime, noir and espionage genres should definitely read it — but everybody else should, too. It really is that good.
Before finishing Velvet's first big arc with the last issue of volume 3 being released tomorrow, I wanted to refresh my memory of the series. I really think it should be read in one big chunk, so many small but important details are so easily forgotten in long pauses between the issues. That said, I think Velvet is, to date, the best thing Ed Brubaker has ever written. It's just awesome. The story is so well-written, it sucks you in and doesn't let go until you've finished the volume, and then you're just left wanting more. And Steve Epting's art and Elisabeth Breitweiser's colours are absolutely gorgeous, a great bonus to go with such an incredible story. In short, Velvet is a brilliant, and any fan of crime, noir and espionage genres should definitely read it — but everybody else should, too. It really is that good.
July 17, 2018
What if Miss Moneypenny was more than just the agency's secretary? What if she used to be a super-spy in her own right? You know, without anybody being aware of it, the most secret of all secret agents... Okay, it may not be the most original or convincing premise in the world, and the execution also tends to be a bit on the generic side. And yet, this being a Brubaker book, it’s all stylish enough to make it worth your while.
March 21, 2016
Outstanding spy-thriller, and a world-class heroine: smart, sexy, and unstoppable.
September 29, 2014
It's no secret I'm a Brubaker fan, and an even bigger fan of his non-Supes stuff. Add to the mix Steve Epting's superb artwork, and you've got yet another strong entry into the Brubaker catalogue.
This time, it's more of the noir spy-thriller from the dark 70s.
Velvet Templeton is the secretary to the director of ARC-7, a spy agency even more secret than the CIA and MI-6 put together. Leftover from WWII operatives, ARC is the Wolverine of spy agencies (The Best at what they do, and what they do isn't very nice).
However, when the top operative is killed on a relatively simple mission, things start to unravel...a retired ARC agent is set up to take the fall, and Velvet just doesn't buy it...so she goes to check up on things, and finds herself just as set up by someone inside the organization.
Too bad for them, Velvet was trained as an Operative when she was 16yrs old...and she's got nearly 30yrs experience under her belt, which no one else knew when they went after her...
It would also appear that she's got history with nearly everyone, in the femme fatale way...but she's also the ass-kicker extraordinaire.
I love the atmosphere and feel of this book, it just sets the mood so well you feel like you're there, or at worst, in a great movie theatre watching this.
There's just so much to enjoy here, great protagonist, good support characters, superlative artwork, great writing, and it all adds up to a fun ride. Can't wait to climb on again!
Get this review and more at:
This time, it's more of the noir spy-thriller from the dark 70s.
Velvet Templeton is the secretary to the director of ARC-7, a spy agency even more secret than the CIA and MI-6 put together. Leftover from WWII operatives, ARC is the Wolverine of spy agencies (The Best at what they do, and what they do isn't very nice).
However, when the top operative is killed on a relatively simple mission, things start to unravel...a retired ARC agent is set up to take the fall, and Velvet just doesn't buy it...so she goes to check up on things, and finds herself just as set up by someone inside the organization.
Too bad for them, Velvet was trained as an Operative when she was 16yrs old...and she's got nearly 30yrs experience under her belt, which no one else knew when they went after her...
It would also appear that she's got history with nearly everyone, in the femme fatale way...but she's also the ass-kicker extraordinaire.
I love the atmosphere and feel of this book, it just sets the mood so well you feel like you're there, or at worst, in a great movie theatre watching this.
There's just so much to enjoy here, great protagonist, good support characters, superlative artwork, great writing, and it all adds up to a fun ride. Can't wait to climb on again!
Get this review and more at:
August 1, 2015
Another recommendation from those at Omnibus collectors.
Really enjoyed this one, brought me back to the early James Bond films that I loved so much, looking forward to see what happens next.
Great artwork, and dialogue.
Really enjoyed this one, brought me back to the early James Bond films that I loved so much, looking forward to see what happens next.
Great artwork, and dialogue.
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