TALES OF SUSPENSE #102 Red Ledger Part 3- EVERY THOUGHT A THOUGHT OF YOU
Matthew Rosenberg continues this tale of suspense in wonderful fashion, with Travel Foreman and Rachelle Rosenberg backing him up with art and color again in this issue. Espionage, spies, and mysteries are running rampant, and it seems that it will be the continuing trend in the series.
After finally catching up with the spy that has been killing all of Black Widow’s enemies, Hawkeye and Winter Soldier decide to do some interrogation. Gleaning very little from the imposter, Barnes and Barton decide to keep an eye on her. Following her to a subway, the teammates get ambushed by an unknown assailant. Another Widow look-alike, the cloaked figure steals Winter Soldier’s gun, and vanishes before Bucky or Clint can give chase.
Following up on a lead given by a former Red Room agent that hasn’t seen the outside of a prison cell in over a decade, Hawkeye and Winter Soldier travel from Russia to New York. Finding another dead body and Barnes’ gun, the duo realize Winter Soldier is being set up for crimes he didn’t commit. After fleeing the scene, they set up camp on a rooftop to observe some of the Red Room agents. It’s not long before another notch is added to the body count, and the two heroes find an answer they’ve been seeking.
Matthew Rosenberg’s writing in this issue is particularly strong. Fast paced, yet easy to follow, the story continues to unfold seamlessly. The dynamic between Barnes and Barton is still being captured, sometimes to humorous effect. Hawkeye’s wit against Winter Soldier’s serious demeanor makes the two a great team and their relationship within that dynamic is visibly building. Rosenberg is bringing out the best of the two by allowing the trust between them grow.
Travel Foreman and Rachelle Rosenberg are bringing the story to life in this book with a colorized noire feel. Given that this is a spy story, it compliments it well. Foreman makes the crowded subway feel busy, but can also make a nighttime rooftop stakeout feel quiet. Going from one extreme to the other, but executing it so well, makes this issue an easy read without being overbearing.
Rachelle Rosenberg shines, giving the “noire” feel with her color choices. Going from a bright, small interrogation cell to a large, airy New York apartment, the pages are never overwhelmed with too many bright colors, but are, instead, pleasantly toned down without having everything fade into each other.
With Barton and Barnes closing in on answers, the story is getting more intense. With a “WTF?!” ending, issue #103 will be one to look forward to if the writing, art, and color keep up with this consistency.
