Review – Executive Assistant Iris Volume 2 #0

When GE’s CEO comes out in the news and brazenly states that the problem with United States workers is that they need more training, and someone ELSE should pay for it with taxpayer dollars, it makes me cringe. That's as political as I’ll get here given that I tend to ride the middle; I just think it is funny that corporations no longer feel like THEY should just train people that have the intrinsic skills to complete a job.

He was right in one example for sure though. Being an office drone for several years now has shown me that our nation's administrative professionals are lacking in one key area that I don’t think companies are necessarily able to cover: elite combat skills! Fear not readers, the blueprint for this has been laid out in Executive Assistant Iris Volume 2 #0.

The series as a whole was created by David Wohl, Brad Foxhoven and Michael Turner, but this Iris mini-series is written by Wohl with art by Eduardo Francisco and colors and lettering by Sunny Gho and Josh Reed respectively. I’d say Aspen Comics has pulled together a pretty talented team and it really shines in this title. Read on for some details and then check out the interiors at the end of the post.

Diane Coverdale is a newly self-appointed CEO of a major corporation, taking over for her late husband who was murdered under mysterious circumstances. The issue opens with her having a tough business negotiation over the phone. As she exits her heavily guarded vehicle and moves towards a public speaking event, it quickly becomes apparently that this will be one that she will remember. There is a great side by side frame layout of her reaching her destination while another mysterious man makes his way to an overlooking elevated window. I think you know where I’m going from here.

The assassin isn’t there to end Diane’s reign as CEO, merely to send a message. He won’t have time to call anyone to let them know his mission was a success, however, as it becomes apparent he was a pawn. In this way we are introduced to Iris, and Diane is driven to an elite security organization in Dubai that trains “Executive Assistants” in the way I said they were lacking back before the break! Oh I do love it when a plan comes together.

The writing and story in this is superb. They really develop the character of Diane Coverdale and do a nice job explaining why she ends up with the new assistant that she does. This title will tie into several other Executive Assistant spinoffs focusing on different graduates of the elite training school as part of the "Hit List Agenda" storyline. The art has a nice change of tones between the lighter and darker environments. The assassinations are also well done in that they aren’t over the top. This is a stylish title not meant to draw in the blood and gore crowd. These are assassins that actually want to work covertly and I found myself enjoying the change of pace.

The difference between the styles of the Executive Assistants themselves was nice to see. You have some far eastern influences, some eastern European influences and some American influences. Obviously these people are also the assistants for high powered CEOs and business people as well so most of the time they are very sharp and conservative looking. This shows that each assistant will have her own style, some more flamboyant than others and should provide for some nice variety in art and storytelling throughout the series.

I enjoyed this title. A good assassin theme isn’t used enough in this world overrun with vampire, zombie and superhero comics. Look for not only EA: Iris but also EA: Orchid, EA: Lotus and EA: Violet in stores soon and check out the interiors below.