The Private Eye #8 Review (Brian K Vaughan, Marcos Martin)

PI’s assistant Melanie has been kidnapped by one of Deguerre’s French hitmen while the other has been killed by Deputy Correspondent Strunk. PI and Raveena hustle to discover where Deguerre’s taken Melanie before his villainous plan of bringing back internet can take off. Also, PI’s grandpa is questioned by CNN. 

I’m beginning to see flaws in this series now with The Private Eye #8 which has otherwise been utterly amazing throughout. The whole plan of kidnapping Melanie has turned into a fiasco for Deguerre. I know he did it to get back at PI but really, what a waste of time when (in the words of Chris Walken’s Max Shreck) you’ve got bigger fish to fry! The man’s trying to launch a satellite from the wonderwall to bring back internet, a massively ambitious plan, and he’s messing about with some guy he doesn’t like’s assistant? Sheesh, get your priorities straight, mister! 

It’s been three months since the last issue and the irregular schedule isn’t helping the increasingly slow plot. Nothing much happens in this issue besides setting up PI and Deguerre before the big moment when the satellite is launched. We catch up with Deputy Correspondent Strunk who was shot by one of Deguerre’s French assassins but is recuperating in hospital; PI’s grandpa is ornery towards reporter/investigators; there’s some minor action with the surviving French assassin; and not much else. 

There’s also an extended exposition scene between Deguerre and Melanie - maybe that’s why she was kidnapped, to be his audience? - that kinda makes Deguerre seem almost naive about what the internet could do. 

I’m still loving the art in this series and Marcos Martin’s work with Muntsa Vicente colours still looks fantastic. A lot of the stuff in this issue happens at night so it’s a bit more noir than the other comics have been though the pages still look amazing. And that cover’s awesome! 

But Brian K. Vaughan’s script for #8? A bit loose, a bit lacking in energy, and not nearly as snappy and fun as it usually is. The comic at times feels quite boring at times which surprised me. 

And with just two more issues left, I’d like to say I’m amped at what’s to follow but the way things seem to be going, I’m only losing interest. Maybe I’ll be surprised and the last couple issues will be amazing - I hope so! As it is, The Private Eye #8 is definitely the weakest issue in the series so far. 

Check out this issue and the others at panelsyndicate.com