Short Box: C.O.W.L. 1964 #1

C.O.W.L. 1964

#1A

Release: Aug 07, 2024

Creators

Because I don’t actually pay that much attention to release schedules or comic news, most weeks I have no idea what will be in the stack of comics handed to me when I walk into the comic shop despite the fact that they’re all – for the most part – books I signed up to receive.

So I was particularly surprised to see this issue in with this week’s Pull List, in part because I had no idea it existed, but mostly because of how long it’s been – over nine years – since the original C.O.W.L. was last on the stands

As I looked at it, I thought it had been even longer than that and I hadn’t thought that my current comic shop even existed yet when I was buying it so I was also surprised that they apparently had a record of me buying it in the past and auto-added the new issue to my stack as a result.

But obviously I did get it from then.

Still, it’s been a long time.

Far too long for me to remember what actually, you know, happened in it, a fact that became clear to me as I read this issue and thought, “Yeah, I should really reread the original because I have very little idea what’s going on or who any of these people are.”

Even though it’s been a while – this mini-series is being released as a celebration of the tenth anniversary of the release of first series – I do at least remember the basic concept: in the 1960s, the world’s first superhero labor union – the Chicago Organized Workers League – protects the people of the Windy City from organized and super crime.

It integrated superhero action with the real world politics of Chicago in the early ’60s, leading to stories that are less about good versus evil and more about corrupt people versus slightly more corrupt people, with some characters working against the system to do good, some working within it to do good, and some just working the system.

The new book picks up two years after the last left off, in a world that’s still reeling from the assassination of JFK, a world in which the leader of C.O.W.L. wants to expand the operation and become active in New York and LA, using plenty of dirty tricks to accomplish it and to bring some former members back into to the fold.

It’s an interesting premise, and while I don’t recall the specifics, I do recall enjoying the series, and I’m certain I would have enjoyed this issue a lot more if I did recall the specifics, or even if the issue had provided just a bit more in the way of reminders of what came before.

I like the art from Rod Reis, as it has a muted palette and a slightly gritty texture that suits the subject matter and the setting and his overall style brings to mind the work of Phil Noto.

I am not, however, terribly keen on the lettering, or rather the word balloons. Never been a fan of balloons that are just a solid color without a contrasting outline. But it’s a minor quibble.

Before the next issue hits the stands, I will probably dig out the original series to refresh my memory, but in the meantime I thought it was worth taking a quick look at this issue just because its mere existence, coming out after such a long hiatus, is noteworthy.

Born and raised in the sparsely populated Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Jon Maki developed an enduring love for comics at an early age.