Wednesday's Finest: 'Who is Jake Ellis?' #1

By Don M. Ventura

Who is Jake Ellis? #1

Image Comics

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Who is Jake Ellis? represents a seamless pairing of writer and artist. Nathan Edmondson and Tonci Zonjic have produced a fantastic first issue that immediately draws the reader in, grabs you, and holds tight through the final page.

Jon Moore is a spy working for the European criminal underground whose life appears to be pretty worthless as he may have more than one bounty on his head. Thankfully he has Jake Ellis to back him up in a way that most would consider invaluable (if not distracting).

Jake is a phantom of some sort who only Jon can see and hear. While Jake is not entirely omnipotent he knows much of what is going on in close proximity to Jon, which is enough to keep Jon’s head free of bullets and his heart pumping.

I hadn’t heard of Edmondson’s work prior to this title, but this was a pleasant introduction to the writer’s work. The story is inventive, fast-paced, the dialogue is sharp and the plot is solid enough to add the follow-up issue to your pull list for certain. The story opens with Jon sitting with some crime bosses on a yacht; they are not happy about a job he’s completed for them. It is a bit fuzzy whether or not Jon is paying attention to them or having a separate conversation. Things go bad and Jon attacks the men and jumps overboard. The scene is repeated, this time with Jake in the background informing Jon that the men intend to kill him and Jake guides his partner off the boat.

All of this is drawn by Zonjic in a wonderful retro-style, which is fitting for the story. I have become a big fan of this form of artwork (like Darwyn Cooke, Sean Phillips or Chris Samnee) that is simple but expressive. Each page is absolutely lovely and we are treated to some seriously explosive shots; in particular, a scene in which Jon ducks before a bullet can hits his head—we see the bullet explode from the barrel, zip right above Jon’s scalp, and another shot of the bullet just barely clipping a cowlick. This is followed a gorgeous splash page of Jon submerged and on his way to safety.

Edmondson’s dialogue is sharp. Jake tries to warn Jon to keep his guard up: “Jon, I know you won’t listen to me about this, but let me be the one to advise you to get on the defensive.” Jon responds: “You’re right. I won’t listen to you about that.”

This is an inventive story that doesn’t let the reader in on who Jake Ellis really is, but we buy the reality immediately. Some of the best storytellers remain somewhere between mysterious and ambiguous about the supernatural elements of their stories; sometimes it’s best to give us the what before the why and how. This way we can buy into it before the explanation.

One last thing about the beauty of the book is the striking cover art and masthead. The cover alone got me to read the original solicit.

The only criticism I have about Who is Jake Ellis? is my disappointment that it’s only a five-issue mini-series. If this is any indication of what is to come from Edmondson this year, then he is off to a spectacular start.