I’m currently in the midst of gobbling up Paul Tobin’s other currently running series, Colder: Toss the Bones, like melted chili and cheese on a hot dog. I love me some coneys. And, as I finish Issue #2 of his new series, Mystery Girl, there is no disputing that he can tell impressively good yarns starring characters with really interesting skill sets. Trine Hampstead, for instance, can solve any mystery just by being asked to solve it. She just knows the answer. She will give you the solution – to literally anything. So, she sets up out on the street like a palm reader and simply solves people’s problems. But, she doesn’t know how she came across her power.

The other great thing about Tobin is that he comes up with equally intriguing villains to put in his heroes’ paths. In Colder, we have Nimble Jack who is the cheese on the chili on the dog. He’s mesmerizing. In Mystery Girl, I introduce you to Linford, a hitman who’s disarmingly creepy in how he approaches his work. The story being told feels to be going in an interesting direction, but I’m equally, if not more so, interested to see how these two enigmatic characters deal with each other moving forward.

Alberto J. Alburquerque, the artist, adds a great deal just by bringing an authenticity to everything he illustrates, including London, that makes the exceptional elements truly stand out. Plus, his art is really just great.

Marissa Louise doesn’t just give us beautiful color schemes to look at, she uses her coloring to create a depth of field that adds another dimension (literally) to the world that these characters inhabit. It’s a highly effective method to employ, especially in this case when the more real the world feels, the more extraordinary the story will be. And, it continues to impress.