CRIME CAPITAL #1 – Review

CRIME CAPITAL #1, from indie creator Lanier Burton, begins the origin story of a cop whose obsession with stopping the sadistic Stage Master leads him to a new life of crime-fighting… with a mask.

The Details

• Written By: Lanier Burton
• Art By: Ria Yu
• Colors By: Ria Yu
• Letters By: Ria Yu
• Cover Art By: Ryan Oakley
• Cover Price: FREE on WebToon
• Release Date: January 11, 2020

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Was It Good?

CRIME CAPITAL #1 is our latest foray into DIY creator-owned comics from Lanier Burton and artist Ria Yu. You can read the issue in full, for free, using the link in the Final thoughts section of the review below.

Burton’s take on the street-level superhero is, admittedly, a diamond in the rough. There are plenty of flaws, mostly in technical execution, and the story beats miss a step or two. But, what the issue lacks in technical quality, it almost makes up for with a genuine desire to tell an entertaining story.

Regarding the flaws, there’s plenty to find. Too many to count. Suffice to say this issue would have been helped in three key areas.

First, the issue needs an editor to correct the grammar and spelling mistakes. It’s an easy fix but a necessary one.

Second, the issue would have been greatly helped by an experienced letterer to sort out positioning and fit the text into their respective word balloons.

Third, the art is not terrible but needs work. The weakest art area is the rough application of two- and three-point perspectives on the panels. When you look past the side of a character towards some point in the background, the panel shouldn’t look flat and distorted.

The intent here isn’t to bit nitpicky but instead to highlight the only thing separating this comic from received as something much better mostly comes down to technical practice, skill, and execution. However, at the heart of any good comic is the story therein, and the story here is also flawed but shows promise.

The promise comes in the form of the main character, Robert Rockwell. In a very clean and organic way, you see the traumatic events Rockwell experiences. You can empathize with his rage over the villain’s actions and his frustration with a police force that isn’t willing to do what it takes to stop the villain. Rockwell feels like every man pushed over the line, and you can get on Rockwell’s side and put yourself in his shoes, even when he begins to take extraordinary steps.

Rockwell is a character you can build on. Every indie creator should take a moment to examine what Lanier has done here with Rockwell as a solidly-executed origin story for a new superhero.

Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.

What’s It About?

[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]

Robert Rockwell and Curtis Allen are cops on the mean streets of District City. One night, they respond to a warehouse burglar alarm only to find the “burglary” is a trap set by the puppeteering supervillain, Stage Master. Rockwell escapes but not before Allen is killed.

Rockwell becomes increasingly obsessed with crossing the legal lines by intimidating informants to get a lead on Stage Master’s whereabouts. His recklessness gets him kicked off the force, so he decides to continue his pursuit wearing a mask instead of a badge.

Eventually, Rockwell tracks the Stage Master to an old stage theater where he’s holding a crowd of hostages to put on his latest Livestream of torture and torment. We conclude the issue with the wrong kind of “Oohs” and “Aahs” from the crowd, a grand entrance, and an explosive finish.

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