Locke
is on the case. His girl has been murdered and her child gone missing, and his
latest clue is linked directly to his troubled past. Of course, Spencer can
only provide so much support. Panther he is, though real is not.
I
am enjoying Spencer & Locke very much. It’s a crime drama with comic strip
overtones, though it’s as far a cry from Dick
Tracy as one might get. I especially enjoyed the wee bit of game play Locke
uses to stir up trouble in a strip bar. He had to get into the office suite
somehow. A++ for creativity.
I
sometimes ask myself (of any given comic book), “How would this be portrayed on
film?” In the case of Spencer & Locke,
I don’t see how it could. Someone better versed in filmmaking than I might feel
differently, but I think they would agree it’s a tough nut to crack. All of
which suggests to me that Pepose and Santiago have created something truly unique
to the comic book genre.
One
might think animation would be the way to go, but different styles of animation
convey different sensibilities. Heck, even animation in and of itself would
potentially be a poor choice of film portrayal.
Live
action? Again, I don’t see how it would do the property justice. The thought
brings to mind a mash-up of Cool World and Who Framed Roger Rabbit? The middle
ground might be CGI, but I was disappointed with the Tintin movie, and tend to steer clear from such films.
I
don’t mind that, actually. I appreciate knowing that there is a comic book that fans
can have all to themselves, without some ham actor using it to polish his
public image. That kind of exploitation can be so disappointing. But it’s
easier when you can soothe your bruised spirit with your very own plush
Spencer. Anyone know where I can get one?