Customer Reviews

Manhunter Vol. 1: Street Justice (DC Comics)

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Kate Spencer is a California prosecutor who, after losing another case against a killer metahuman, takes it upon herself to beginning meting out her own brand of lethal street justice. Arming and outfitting herself with various paraphenelia from the evidence store rooms (obtained from various villains) she takes on the identity of Manhunter (a popular moniker for DC characters, as someone in the book points out) and begins her vigilante career. That's "Manhunter" on the surface, sounding like an attempt to give the DC Universe its own Punisher-type character, or even like an attempt to amp up the aggressiveness-level of DC's own Green Arrow from his 80s/early 90s modus operandi. But rather than try to just copy the success of Punisher or Green Arrow, or other violent, on-the-edge, vigilante characters, there's some different factors at play here to give the "Manhunter" title its own identity.

There's considerable doubt about Kate's motivations. A hostile, cynical person to begin with, it's quite effective the way that, after her first kill, she's not only surprised by her total lack of remorse and by the strange satisfaction she feels, but the way she goes about things next. We see her going through the justice department (not to be confused with the Justice League) files looking for potential next targets, in an almost leisurely browse. One is left with the feeling that it's possible that she may not be entirely driven by a need for revenge and defending the innocent, but may be starting already to edge toward the path of using revenge and justice as her excuse, with killing itself being the real motivation.

Equally plausible is another scenario: Kate is socially dysfunctional, has a tenuous-at-best rellationship with her young son, an openly warring one with her ex-husband and is not the most personable or friendly towards much of anyone. There's a possibility that her whole career as a prosecutor has been an attempt to - what's the best way to phrase this? - to be a part of a society that she wants to be more integrated with, and to contribute, partly as a substitute for what she feels are lackings in her outward life. In this scenario, we have an outwardly hostile, mean-hearted character who's very different on the inside. And now that she has the mask and the identity, she's going much further than she ever has before. In this scenario, she's driven by noble motivations, but doesn't seem to realize how she's already dangerously close to losing control. She even seems to be developing a strange fixation on her first kill.

Those are two very different takes, but the opening issues of the "Manhunter" series are raising a lot of questions. There's the usual, subjective question of 'are her methods justified?' because it's clear from Issue 1 that Kate's not just setting out to take these characters down and sometimes being left with no choice but to kill - killing is the objective, and apparantly not just against certain extreme cases but as a general modus operandi in her new crimefighting career. We're left wondering just how far she's going to go in this, we're left wondering about her true motivation, we're left wondering if the path she's taken is going to take her a Lot further than she actually wants to go, we're left wondering a lot. And that's good. There are a lot of different ways they can go with this. Another aspect of the whole 'split possibilities' thing is that the new Manhunter finds herself - to her own surprise - dreaming about being accepted into the DCU's hero community, and at the same time increasingly afraid that they're going to be hunting her down because of her very bloody methods.

Kate Spencer isn't as immediately likable as DCU heroines as Zatanna or Wonder Woman, but she is interesting, and starts growing on one before too long. The thing is, whether she emerges as a champion or journeys all the way not just to, but crosses, the line between good and bad, it's going to be a very interesting ride, and leave us with a good addition to the DCU's cast of characters.

This collection reprints Numbers 1 - 5 of the Manhunter series, with No. 5 tying into DC's grand "Identity Crisis" crossover.

I got into this series a while ago largely because the writer had implored people to give his book a shot, and I am so glad I did. Manhunter is a smart witty book that has a real woman as its lead.

She isn't a pin up girl fighting in a thong, she is a hero who is every bit as tough and as hard as the men of the DC universe. In this trade we see her take up the cause of justice, and fight the good fight in a way that few heroes have

This is one of the most human characters I have read in a long time, Kate Spencer isn't a flawless supermodel she is someone who isnt the perfect mother, is trying to quit smoking, and is dealing with a very tough job.

Reading this book delves into the feelings that I think we all feel when the justice system fails, Kate Spencer becomes manhunter because the world as much as it needs the pure superheroes as ideals, it needs someone who can deal with the hard reality that when a super villain kills and isn't punished by our system of justice someone has to step in, and fight the fight that the others cant.

It's important to note though She isn't Punisher, she isn't about the body count, or killing for the sake of killing, what she is, is a fighter who is walking a dangerous line. She is someone who wants to give justice a chance but is there when it fails.

Ever wonder why Batman just doesn't kill the Joker after all the horrible stuff he has done? After all the prison escapes why he doesn't simply throw him off a building?

If you have ever thought along those lines, and want ot read a great story with solid art about a very human character, manhunter is the book for you.


Also I would like to note that if you already have theses issues 1-5 it is still worth picking up. First off the experience is really enhanced by reading this straight through without the ads. And secondly, Marc Andreyko's introduction is really smart and fun, it adds a lot because it sets the mood for the story that follows.

I am giving a copy of this trade and issue 15 away as a gift for the holidays and I would encourage others to do likewise, this is a great stocking stuffer if you have a friend or family member who would like is into comics or who you would like to get into comics. Its the DCU with the grandure of its history without being so into that history that it is confusing. A great primer for an outsider or someone looking for something mainstream but different enough where it matters.

Well, this collection proves why some books NEED to be collected.

As a comics fan, I suffer from having too many good titles to choose from. I admit that I passed up the individual issues of Manhunter as each one came out. No single issue seemed to grab my attention enough to have me pull out my billfold and buy it.

What's worse, the title "Manhunter" has been used before for two of DC Comics most innovative and affecting series-- one with the team of Archie Goodwin and Walt Simonson and the other written by John Ostrander with Kim Yale. Tough competition.

So I missed out when the issues collected here came out. My mistake.

The first five issues set out to introduce a new Manhunter and succeed. The new Manhunter is not a super-hero or adventurer primarily, but a "real" person who inhabits a world somewhat like the real one -- except for all those pesky super-heroes and super-villains. When she takes up the mantle of an older DC hero, there's a certain regret built into the familiarity of the "origin story".

Overall, this was a nice introduction to a more subtle type of comic character. If a character who busts people over the head with sticks can be called subtle.

Art-wise, the work is strong enough to tell the tale. There are those who think of art-teams as super-stars. This is not the point of the professional, effective job in this Trade Paperback. The art in Manhunter isn't designed to shock. It's designed to tell the story. . . and it does.

This is a very inexpensive way to try out a new/old comics concept.

Responding to writer Marc Andreyko's campaign to save his DC Comics MANHUNTER series, I picked up the first trade paperback MANHUNTER: STREET JUSTICE with moderate hopes. I mean, how good can it be if the writer is pleading for new readers, right? Well, I'm glad that Andreyko put himself out there, as this is one series that should not be missed - another great new title from a DC Comics that is very concerned with character legacies and continuity. This trade collects the first 5 issues, telling the story of federal prosecutor Kate Spencer, who has had enough of mass-murdering metahumans taking advantage of loopholes in the legal system. Swiping some confiscated supervillain gear, she sets off to deal out some harsh justice, becoming yet another character in the DC Universe to take the name of Manhunter. Along the way, we learn about her troubled personal life, which is one of the more interesting parts of the book. Kate Spencer is not a likeable person, but it's possible that relieving the stress of her courtroom defeats by beating up criminals may be just what she needs to rekindle her relationship with her young son, and perhaps even her ex-husband.

Most of the stories are told in flashbacks, which is a good alternative to the standard linear story. I'm really impressed with Andreyko's writing style, and Jesus Saiz, one of DC's hot new artists, is the perfect choice for this series. Andreyko's introduction indicates that there are many more exciting developments in store for this character, including an analysis of the many Manhunters of ages past, as well Kate's connections to other heroes of the DCU. This Manhunter is far superior to the ill-conceived version that came out of DC's Zero Hour event. It's a book that should not be missed - CHECK OUT MANHUNTER!!!

Kate Spencer(a.k.a Manhunter) is one of the newest superheroines that DC Comics has introduced. Collected here are the first six issues of her ongoing series, written by Marc Andreyko. Kate is a rare breed of female superhero, a woman who is a complex character,and who has a convincing 'voice'. Kate Spencer maybe be drawn by the artists as traditionally 'pretty', but she is no mere eyecandy, as she is a superheroine who can fight just as good as the guys.
Support this title by either buying the individual issues, or getting this trade.

This collection contains the first five issues of Marc Andreyko's "Manhunter" series (if it was a Marvel title, it would have acquired the prefix "The Uncancellable" for having escaped the axe twice in its thirty-issue history). There have been six previous DC universe heroes to have used the Manhunter title, all male, but Kate Spencer is rather unlike her predecessors, not least because sehe's female. Kate is an LA prosecutor who has seen one too many villains get off and go on a killing spree, and so she dons various items fromt he district's impound and becomes a vigilante out for blood (but unlike Marvel's Punisher, she is rational and not a psychopath in her use of lethal force; she gives the system time to work before she kills). Kate's willingness to kill villains makes her something of a rarity in the DC universe, and Andreyko plays with that; in this story, she dodges the Justice League of America, fearful that her fellow heroes will arrest her for her actions, and has dreams where Batman (apparently well-known for his sanctimonious behaviour even amongst the DC populous) condemns her. However, she never compromises her beliefs.

Andreyko does not neglect to give Kate a personal life, and a strong supporting cast. First and foremost is Dylan Battles, a former villain's lackey who Kate blackmails into becoming her tech support in the war on crime; Dylan, a rather stereotypical loser nerd, is hilarious. Elsewhere there is her ex-husband, a novelist, and her young son, who she tries to do right by in spite of her busy life. Many writers don't bother giving their characters personal lives anymore, favouring a "we live in our costumes" approach, but Andreyko understands how to mix the personal and the superheroic, and does so excellently. This collection is highly recommended.

Forget Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. The real shining star at DC Comics is Manhunter, the coolest heroine since...well, EVER. What I love most about Kate is that she isn't the squeaky clean, self righteous, supermodel in spandex that we see so often in comic books. She makes mistakes that can get her killed. She can be quite ethically challenged. And while she's just as likely as Batman to follow a nasty villain into the sewers, she'd rather shoot him in the face than lock him up in Arkham Asylum.

Normally I don't go for DC Comics, because the characters usually feel so cardboardy. After reading the first few issues, you'll be amazed that DC didn't release this under the Vertigo imprint because it is much edgier than any other superhero book they have on the shelf. Marc Andreyko not only does a great job with Kate, but he's peppered the book with an excellent supporting cast, particularly Dylan Battles, the former henchman-for-hire who manages her weapons and technology. I love a book that puts characters ahead of mindless super-battles!

I've only been following this series for a few months, and I can't wait until the third trade paperback comes out this summer so I can catch up on the issues I haven't read yet.

This is one of the better comic book stories featuring female characters. Why? Because most comic creators know that sex sells, and dress up their femme fatales in accordingly skimpy getups (one of the worst offenders is DC's Power Girl.) In this environment, MANHUNTER stands out as a comic that doesn't rely on the character's chest to drive sales. Instead, the Manhunter character draws us in by being human, and kicking butt without becoming a "girl power!" cliche.

Kate Spencer lives works as a DA in a city without "capes", or superheroes. As Superman patrols metropolis and Batman swings through Gotham, Los Angeles remains dirty, unclean, but still full of "metahumans" (super-villians, basically.) When one of these fiends wriggles out of the legal system, Kate decides enough is enough and dons a costume of her own.

What's remarkable about MANHUNTER is how it balances fight scenes and genuine drama--each chapter contains enough of both to keep the story going. MANHUNTER also gets a thumbs-up for explaining why most of the "real" cities in the DC Universe don't have superheroes protecting them.

Being a reader of comics for over 30 years, I've become jaded when I hear of a new book with a female lead. Years of bad stories and idiotic t&a art made me question whether or not to even bother with this. This book breaks the mold. Marc Andreyko writes a mature, human, and smart lead in Kate Spencer. Exceptional art by Javier Pina only adds to the goodness that is this collection. Well worth the money.

Manhunter: Street Justice collects the first 5 issues of a great series from DC comics. It's about lawyer Kate Spencer who gets tired of seeing dangerous metahuman criminals get out of serving life terms in prison due to loopholes in the system. She raids a police locker and assembles an outfit and weaponry as well as takes the name of the old DC character Manhunter.

The first 5 issues finds her facing off against Copperhead and Shadow Theif as well as a cameo from several Justice League members.

Marc Andreyko does a great job setting up the characters and situations. Kates evry different then your typical leads. She's nto likeabole. A thirty-something divorcee who isn't the best mom in the world. She smokes and has a bad attitude. Marcs accompained by the amazing Jesus Saiz who is quickly becoming on of DC Comics superstar artists thanks in part to his recent work on the OMAC Project.

Check it out. The trade is a great introduction and the later issues are full of great action and twists.