CBR Vigilante

 

I've always been a big fan of the Vigilante.
It's a fun concept, if there is one.

The question isn't who is, but who are the Vigilantes.

There's been several incarnations of this guy throughout the history of DC Comics.
But the basic pitch is always the same, a guy becomes a vigilante anti-hero to avenge some wrongs done by a society that just doesn't care about justice anymore.

My favorite version being the gun toting cowboy hat-wearing blue-costumed red-scarfed one.
He even made a fan favorite guest appearance on the Brave & The Bold cartoon, guitar singing and all!

So let's check out his very own mini, published in the 90s.

Comic title: Vigilante: City Lights, Prairie Justice 
Story by James Robinson
Art by Tony Salmons & Bret Blevins
Published by DC Comics

From 1995 (2009)
Lineup Vigilante
Format: Trade paperback, collecting the 4-issues mini-series Vigilante: City Lights, Prairie Justice from '94-96.

The original Vigilante was created by Mort Weisinger & Mort Meskin.
He was one of those many western-themed heroes created in the 40s.
Our Vigilante first debuted in Action Comics (in 1941). He was a simpler more straightforward mystery men unlike the superpowered beings that started popping up in comic books at the time.
It was a comic about Greg Sanders' - a country singer living in New York City.
One night Greg returned to his home and found his father killed. He decided to take matter into his own hands and bring the evildoers to justice. After that he decided to devote his life for justice and took the identity of the Vigilante.

What I like about the character is that for some reason they kept him in the 1940-50s.
While the other characters such as Batman and Superman were continuously reimagined over the decades, he was kept on the sidelines. Instead various other Vigilantes were introduced over the years, taking over his name but different modus operandi.

This four-issue limited series focuses on the original Vigilante.
In this modern iteration we are introduced to our character, Greg Saunders.

It is basically a new retelling of his origin story.
The story is built around how a certain  Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel was behind the development of Las Vegas Valley in 1942 and went on to build his empire.

Flashforward to 1944. We're in Los Angeles.
Greg Saunders is trying to make it in Hollywood. But the transition into movies isn't that easy for this long time singer.
One day his friend "Stuff" aka Danny Leong tells him how the actress he was in love with disappeared.
Greg tries to track her down only to find a wide conspiracy going back to Siegel. He barely is able to escape when he tries to save the girl.
Only to find out Stuff has been beaten to death with a crowbar...

It's a very fun and captivating new take on this motorcycle-riding two-gun "modern" cowboy.
Master storyteller James Robinson has made a fantastic job of juxtaposing the Golden Age of Hollywood/organized crime of that era along the gritty old West-styled justice of the Vigilante.

It's sort of a cross between a pulp concept with a noir thriller.
A great contrast between glamor and what goes on behind the curtains.

And the art by Tony Salmons and Bret Blevins is simply outstanding!

Very simple in appearance, very reminiscent of Tim Sale's work on Dark Victory for comparison. But it just fits the mood here to perfection!

Big shapes, inked shadings and simple colors continuing to serve this contrast.

Overall, it's a fantastic captivating read!
It's a great story The Vigilante rightfully deserved, finally set in a realistic yet colorful 1940s Las Vegas!

It's rare to see this sort of noir crime/thriller story in comic book form.
Without the exaggerated pulp tone or without going into extreme mature territory.

The Vigilante hits Hollywood in all fronts, to give justice to his former sidekick from these gangsters.

It was also nice to get a look at some of Vigilante's own rogue gallery. The Dummy might look silly in form but I found him perfectly creepy in those few pages.

tzhe dummy rogue gallery

Funny enough, it seems the character always managed to survive reboots and retcons, since he already re-appeared in the pages of The Shade in DC's New 52 current titles.

If you like good Punisher stories, I suggest giving this tale of vengeance a look!

I give it:

  2 / 3 Plastic-trophies!