The Shield: Spotlight

(IDW, 2004)
™ and © Idea + Design Works LLC

As it’s done with its numerous and superbly done CSI: Crime Scene Investigation titles, IDW nails the spirit of another network cop show. The FX series starring Michael Chiklis as a badass, crooked cop has been generating a buzz for the past couple of years, and IDW cashes in with this faithful, well-written, and beautifully drawn comic book.

This issue is the first in a five-issue mini-series, following the template established by the CSI books. Mariotte takes full advantage of the more than 100 pages allotted for the storyline by adding a level of complexity that would be hard to pull off in a one-hour TV show: By unfolding events in a non-chronological format, Mariotte builds a level of suspense that actually tops that of a typical episode. In the story, two of The Barn’s officers investigate a traffic accident, while Chiklis’ character, Vic, and his squad get caught up in a drug bust gone bad. Mariotte’s way of connecting these two seemingly independent events connect is nothing short of brilliant.

In addition to this enhancement, Mariotte is dead-on with the story’s pacing, personalities and interactions, and general feel of the series. Diaz similarly emulates the characters’ likenesses with a soft touch, avoiding the photo-like precision that many artists favor but, nonetheless, making each and every character instantly recognizable to fans of the series. Failure to do this would have unforgivably marred an otherwise perfect adaptation.

Yes, fans of the show will love this. So will those who aren’t. In fact, those unfamiliar with the series who try this mini-series will probably become fans of both.

— Jim Johnson

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