Drastik

    (Critical Element, 2004)
™ and © 2004 Robert Rowe & James E. Lyle

Striking a menacing Gil Kane pose on its bright yellow cover, Drastik is a strange character, indeed. He’s a robot who hunts down and executes criminals but also occasionally speaks in rhyme. It’s obvious Drastik is a few circuits short of a board, and it’s the dark humor that sets this comic book apart.

Interior artist James E. Lyle is almost there, but his faces occasionally go off-model, making for bizarre expressions. His control of fight scenes and action is undeniable, and that gives the comic book a brisk pace.

Writer and creator Robert Rowe wastes no time in having Drastik kill bad guys, though his penchant for rhyme could use work. Drastik’s odd speech patterns may have looked right in the script but, when read out loud, they don’t parse at all. Drastik (or Rowe) needs to study meter for a couple of hours. On the other hand, maybe it’s just cold stuff to say to someone before popping a cap in them, Pulp Fiction style.

— Steve Horton
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