I've enjoyed the Ms. Tree graphic novel series by Max Allan Collins very much. Great graphics and entertaining hard crime stories. Ms. Tree Vol. 5: HeI've enjoyed the Ms. Tree graphic novel series by Max Allan Collins very much. Great graphics and entertaining hard crime stories. Ms. Tree Vol. 5: Heroine Withdrawal was basically similar but also it seemed a bit of 'going through the motions'.
It's a collection of 5 individual stories which, in this book, are tied together. So let's see.
Story 1. Her nemesis, crime boss Muerta, is returning to the US to stand trial. He's holed up on his estate, basically bed - ridden. Ms. Tree's partner, Dan, who lost an eye and hand in a previous confrontation with the Muerta gang, seeks revenge and is found over the dead body of Muerta and others. He proclaims his innocence, is locked up and Mike (that's Ms. Tree's name) investigates.
Story 2. This story was definitely not my favorite. Mike is forced to hide out from the Muertas and stay out of her PI business due to what happened in the 1st story. She meets her dead husband's ex - cop partner and ends up trying to help him. He's gone a bit loco and is now hanging out with an anti-abortion group that is picketing an abortion clinic. He wants to blow it up. I just found this a topic that shouldn't be glossed over and it felt like it was just used to be hard - hitting??
Story 3. Because of the events in Story 2, Mike is sent to lock up. She basically didn't follow the judge's rulings that she not be involved in crime cases until her trial. While in this county jail, attempts are made on Mike's life, she befriends her fellow inmates and exposes corruption within the jail. Woo hoo!
Story 4. Mike's lawyer makes a deal with the DA prosecuting Mike that she will attend a psychiatric facility and plead to an insanity defense to avoid the trouble of a trial. While there, Mike delves into her feelings, discovers an inmate who has seen a murder by a popular politician and gets her agency to investigate and saves herself and the fellow inmate.
Story 5. Mike is released from the psychiatric facility, taking tranquilizers and admitting to herself that violence isn't the only solution to solving crime. This forces her partners, son-in-law and even her exec asst to take the mantle of trying to protect her from mob forces and endangering themselves. All is made good in the end of course....
Anyway, it was an action - packed collection, well drawn, but not totally satisfying. I'll see how #6 is when it's released. (3.0 stars)...more
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