AKA
Published by Ferret Press
16 pages (no ads)
$2.00

Katie and Alison, two female private eyes, are investigating an infidelity case. When it seems to be cracked, however, the jilted wife asks another service; retrieve a video of a delicate nature from her husband's place of work. What's really on the tape, however, is unexpected. From there, things get interesting, in this hip, fun comic, entitled AKA.

Writer Dara Naraghi creates two very engaging main characters in this series; imagine Laverne and Shirley as gumshoes, and you're getting close. She also keeps a picky reader's attention, using humor, action, and a bit of suspense for good measure. Great dialogue and pacing bring it all together. Wonderful stuff.

While artist Steve Black's interior black and white work takes a little getting used to, due to very thick lines and rigidity of characters, it is not an unattractive style. His painted covers, however, are extremely eye-catching; their marriage with the unique format of the book nearly make it worth the price of admission on their own. Of course, the afore-mentioned story cements the deal. If only there were more pages...

One of the refreshing things about the book is that Naraghi and Black capture the "seedy" side of private investigation, almost entirely without the gratuitous sexual content, nudity or language; quite the feat, when so many independent publishers out there seem to think that's where real adult entertainment resides.

AKA is suggested for adult readers who enjoy detective stories and humor. Visit www.ferretpress.com for ordering information.

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