4 Kids Walk Into a Bank #5 (of 5)

   This story has demanded patience from its audience - it's taken 15 months to turn out five issues - but finally, with this issue, those kids walk into that bank.

   What writer Matthew Rosenberg has built is a heist story, as the kids - Berger, Pat, Walter and Paige - finally put their complex plan in motion to rob a bank.

   This story manages a surprising balance between real-world sensibilities and flights of fantasy - and it cleverly keeps you guessing as to which is which - and the very real world implications of their actions.

   The art and design are by Tyler Boss, and it features original character designs and a unique style that's compelling and evoke real life without being photorealistic.

   Courtney Menard is credited with wallpaper designs and Clare Dezutti with flatting (and I must admit - I'm not sure what that means). 

   Even though the story focuses on the kids, it's not a book for children - it features adult language and violence. 

   But for those old enough to cope with it, it's a powerful tale and impossible to predict (which is always a good thing).

   Recommended!

Grade: A-

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4 Kids Walk Into A Bank #1 (of 5)

   If you're looking for a comic that's different, you'd have to go some to beat 4 Kids Walk Into a Bank.

   It's a street-level story about four eccentric young friends - Berger, Pat, Walter and Paige. They seem like regular kids: playing Dungeons and Dragons, defending each other and planning "secret missions" - but their lives take a surprising turn when four men turn up at Paige's home, demanding to see her father.

    The four men are not nice guys - they each have a criminal record and won't hesitate to hurt the young friends.

   So why are they looking for Paige's dad, and what is his connection to the criminals? That's just the beginning of this story, which promises lots of unexpected twists and turns along the way.

   The story by Matthew Rosenberg crafts a narrative that is off-beat, yet believable and compelling.

   The art and design are by Tyler Boss, and it's unique, with original character designs and a style that somehow manages to be a bit cartoonish but evocative of the real world. The layouts and patterns designs are very creative, too.

   The credits also credit Courtney Menard with the wallpaper designs and Clare Dezutti with "Flatting" - whatever that is.

   This isn't a book for everyone, but it's an interesting start.

Grade: A-

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