Writer: Kyle Starks
Artist, Colorist & Cover Artist: Fran Galán
Letterer: Pat Brosseau
Series & Logo Designer: Nancy Mojica
Collection Designer: Armando Elizondo
Editor: Jon Moisan
Publisher: Boom! Studios
Price: $19.99
Release Date: December 11, 2024
Linnea was a homicide detective. But crime scenes traumatized her. She struggled to look at a corpse without vomiting. Linnea tried everything but couldn’t cope with the demands of her chosen profession. Amid the intensity and glamor of the city, she met a professional fighter. His name was Parker. Like her, he had lost someone close to him. Parker left his life in the ring behind to support her new career. Can two people who love each other forge a new life in a small town? Or will their troubled past return to haunt them? Let's leap into Pine And Merrimac TP and find out!
Story
Linnea grew up in Jamesport. The picturesque East Coast fishing village boasts two astronauts, three presidents, and four extremely wealthy Americans. It’s a scenic spot of picture-perfect houses, cozy diners, and a detective agency on the corner of Pine and Merrimac streets. Jamesport promises the tranquility Linnea sought after the intense demands of solving murders. Yet it's a curious choice, as Linnea fled Jamesport as soon as she could after her sister’s death.
As a husband, Parker is selfless, makes no demands, and always puts her needs first. Linnea decides what cases to take, and Parker helps her solve them. Parker never competes with Linnea in Pine & Merrimac TP. The fighter who rigorously trained his body and mind to win every battle trusts Linnea's decisions and backs her plays with his fighting skills.
Linnea’s new lease on life comes at a cost to others. In her former occupation, Linnea protected people by taking violent predators off the streets. By solving crimes, she helped grieving survivors and broken families find closure. Now, Linnea breaks up families and ruins lives by proving spousal infidelity. One such case is Abigail Byrne, who lost her affluent, carefree lifestyle and now sleeps in a homeless shelter. As Jody says about his Army Surplus Store, the worse things are, the better business gets. But when two parents approach Linnea about her daughter, she can’t say No. Perhaps things will turn out differently than with her sister.
Kyle Starks eases the tension of Linnea and Parker’s investigation into Tabitha’s disappearance with comic relief and quirky characters. Aside from ever-angry Abigail, there's a none-too-bright biker gang, an Army Surplus Store run by a pacifist, and a senator who believes a secret society's ceremonies can boost his bid to become the fourth President of the United States from Jamesport. Humorous wordplay also enhances the over-the-top situations. But Linnea and Parker's chemistry carries you through Pine & Merrimac TP. The couple knows nothing lasts forever and cherishes every moment together.
Art
Fran Galán imbues Linnea and Parker’s life in Jamesport with a dreamlike quality. The story begins with Parker waking her from a blissful sleep with a cappuccino from a local barista. The couple drives a classic muscle car from their lakeside house to the flower-framed entrance of their two-story brick corner office. Galán introduces you to thin, mustachioed Jody, heavyset Abigail, the Jackpot City Demons, and guards wielding assault rifles who know that poor job performance means death.
There’s a timeworn quality to Fran Galán’s art in this story set in 2023. Limited color palettes energize the daytime encounters and nighttime fights. Light also plays a significant role in Pine & Merrimac TP. Distant skyscrapers create a diffused glare. Sunlight streams through horizontal blinds in the office and a nearby diner. Moonlight illuminates a sunken cell on an isolated island. The colors suggest they radiate from Linnea as she basks in her husband's love and hopes for the best despite the lessons history has taught her.
Uppercase black letters inhabit off-white dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. Pat Brosseau helps us hear small gestures, such as the couple's frequent gifting and Linnea pinching herself to fend off more violent reactions to death. Colorful sound effects accompany Abigail’s felonious assault, gunfire, an inflaming situation, and Parker playing Preschool teacher with bikers. Thanks to Boom! Studios for providing a copy for review.
Final Thoughts
After her sister’s disappearance and death, Linnea geared her life around solving murders. But after solving crimes in the big city, life brought her back home, where Linnea investigates another missing person’s case. Fueled by tragic events, humor, and the uplifting power of love, Pine And Merrimac TP is a meditation on the circular nature of existence and the glorious absurdities of life.
Rating 9/10
For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.
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