Hey, how?s everybody doing? Long time no see. I know, I know it?s my bad but I?ll try to make it up to you by going daily next week. And since I?m going to try for my personal record of more than one review a week, I?ll try to keep these reviews simple and to the point. Wish me luck and here?s a taste of what?s to come. You?ve been warned.

Sleeper Volume 2: All False Moves Trade (DC; Color)
Creators: Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips

The second collection of the Sleeper monthly books (#7-12) continues to be an exercise in how to write a suspenseful adult thriller. Double Agent Holden Carver is been accused by his agency of being a traitor. But what they don’t know is that he’s actually under deep cover from orders by his boss, who’s in a coma. Since Holden is basically left hung out to dry, he struggles with a life-altering decision: stay true to his deep undercover operation or give up his morals and previous life to become the harden criminal that everybody thinks he is?

Brubaker, critically acclaimed for his hard boiled books (Scene of the Crime, Point Blank) as well as his superhero fare (Gotham Central, Catwoman), does not skimp on the grit and tone of this series. You almost feel dirty reading it. Phillips, whose work I thought defined a great Wildcats run with Joe Casey, is still on point with this title. His shady art gives this book the kind of visual depth that you usually only see on the boob tube. If you?re not reading this series, you?re definitely missing out.

Extras: None, but with the high-end quality paper used for this trade more than makes up for the $17.95 price tag.

Highly recommended.

Britt Schramm reviews trades and graphic novels at 4CR. He also has a bi-weekly column about comics called Preachin’ From The Longbox at Moviepoopshoot.com

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