Graphic Novel Review: The Hunter by Darwyn Cooke

This week’s Graphic Novel of The Week is Richard Stark’s Parker The Hunter, written & illustrated by Darwyn Cooke, IDW Publishing. Published back in 2009, this hardcover adapts the first of the Parker novels by Richard Stark and Cooke, who made his name drawing characters like Batman, Catwoman and the Justice League of America, really ups his game in this wonderful hard boiled slice of comics noir. Parker is a man with revenge on his mind, determined to bring down the crime syndicate who stole from him. Cooke channels Alex Toth and the work of 20th century artist Lynd Ward with rare pizazz and panache. His storytelling is simple yet effective and Cooke manages to give the whole thing an elegantly vintage yet contemporary feel. Cooke also manages to lend The Hunter a cinematic feel and you can even imagine certain scenes with a Lalo Schifrin soundtrack. Parker was actually adapted to the big screen with Lee Marvin in Point Blank (1967). Parker is an old-fashioned action hero and Cooke is just the man with his stylish sensibilities and his visual elegance to bring the world of Stark to life on the comics page. He went on to produce another four Stark adaptations and it’s as if he was born to draw Parker. For fans of hard-boiled detective stories, Parker is a must-buy.

Parker: The Hunter (Richard Stark’s Parker the Hunter)