Newburn #10: No Kings, Only Strings

Spoiler Warning for Newburn #10

Oftentimes, mysteries feel like a game in motion on the page, with shifting motivations and allegiances underlying a compulsion to reach the center of the board. There are typically rules or boundaries set, and a bad mystery will often break these for narrative convenience. True skill in crafting a mystery is not only setting up but maintaining the board while adhering to the rules without giving away the whole game. That’s exactly what a book like Newburn does, and why it remains to be such a compelling read month after month. 

Newburn #10 – written by Chip Zdarsky with art, colors, and lettering by Jacob Philips and color assistance by Pip Martin – resumes the unraveling of Newburn’s status quo as threats approach from all sides. The Black Castle and the crime families he works for are starting to get tired of his work, the few allies he has left on the police force are sick of him, and even Emily is starting to show signs of doubt. After the fallout of the previous arc, specifically issue #8, more cracks are showing as now even the media (or in this issue’s case, a lone reporter) is starting to look harder at Newburn. 

Meanwhile, the ongoing case of the week involves the Triad’s sinking arrest rates, while the rest of the crime families are seeing more lock-ups. Convinced they’re being wronged in some way, the Black Castle sends Newburn to look into the Triad’s methods for avoiding interference and confirm if a deal has been struck between the two parties. Newburn and Emily follow leads on the cop side of things, and confirm not everything as it seems, making clear that some deal was struck. Just not the one imagined by the crime families. 

Zdarsky’s script for this issue continues to raise the stakes for Emily and Newburn as their solid plot of neutral ground continues to crack. The tension is clear from page one, as the wolves begin to circle Newburn in this excellent exploration of the fallout of arc one. Zdarsky makes clear and never hesitates to remind the audience this is Newburn lying in the bed he made. His intentions are still shrouded in shadows, though it’s clear they’re related to an interest in Emily. Whether it be cultivating a replacement, a pity on a smart person wasting their skills, or something softer, the script makes clear Emily is at the center, even as the recently introduced reporter makes the case otherwise. 

The issue’s writing also dips into even darker territory than before, which is saying something for a series full of serial killers, betrayals of family, and torture leading to death. With this issue, Zdarsky brings out the darkness in Newburn’s methods, showcasing the ways he will twist and break people to accomplish his goals in the process of investigating the Triad. The scripting makes clear Newburn’s greatest asset is his ability to know and understand the patterns of people. It’s so much so that he can time his watch to a person’s self-destructive tendencies. 

The art and colors work in lock step with the script to explore the darker side of Newburn, doing so through absolute clarity and dissonance in the color palette. The entirety of this issue occurs in the daylight, and even when Newburn goes to the Black Castle, soft, warm colors are infused to the page. That discordance between narrative and color tone creates an unsettling atmosphere that reflects Newburn’s situation. The coloring invites doubt and an unsettling sense of calm as the coming storm approaches the book. The procedural nature of the book may end with the next issue or ten, but the coloring and art give the sense that the storm is closer to the harbor than expected.  

Within that sentiment, the art also reflects a sense of urgency, moving at a steadier pace as the issue is split between the investigation while also starting to flush out the side plots. The issue deploys five and seven-panel pages with a key moment, followed by a succession of smaller, uniform panels that work to carry that sense of rushed momentum as though time is running out. Phillips doesn’t linger on the page and that urgency is felt not only in the layouts but the inking as well. Thicker lines are strategic, ensuring the creation of dynamic figures on the page that propel with action, moving away from the more methodical style of the first story arc. 

The page that crystallizes this style and shift is a totally silent page that ends the main story, as Newburn exits the Black Castle and the doubt starts to creep in. For what feels like the second time in this series, Newburn seems like a normal human and the pressure is getting to him. The first would be from the last issue when he got the sudden call from his mother. The issue foreshadows this moment when Newburn goes to visit Casey at the station, and a flash of anger comes out when he explains life before his role as peacekeeper. It could be read as either an honest flare-up of anger or a well-constructed moment for the cameras and men behind the glass. 

In either instance, it sets the foundation for that last page, which could be read as a true revelation of Newburn’s doubts and fear, or yet another game catering to Emily. It seems unlikely based on the progression of the panels, but after everything on display in this issue, it’s impossible to tell with Newburn. Phillips’s expressions and direction bolster that sense of ambiguity, but the use of color and change in time telegraph something might be different this time.  

The back-up story written by David Brothers with art and letters by Nick Dragotta plays as a much shorter, but just as compelling entry into the unraveling of a young man’s life. The lead is still on the run after robbing and murdering a plainclothes cop last issue. The issue delivers yet another stunning action sequence from Dragotta, continuing the channeling from the hyperkinetic linework more often associated with manga. 

The scripting also provides an excellent showcase for Brothers and his ability to infuse rich emotion in minimal words. There’s a sense of melancholy to the lingering words as the lead tries to return home, but is turned away due to his wanted status. It cuts straight to the heart and reinforces his alienation, pushing the story further into a place of no return.