Review - Executive Assistant: Assassins #6

Kill or be killed. If there was a headquarters for Executive Assistants, that would likely be the motto emblazoned on the floor in a fancy tile-work. It's the motto that Lily is forced to live by in Executive Assistant: Assassins #6 from Aspen Comics.

The issue is written by Vince Hernandez, with pencils by Jordan Gunderson, inks by Mark Roslan, colors by Teodoro Gonzalez and letters by Josh Reed.

Lily and Lilac. Lilac and Lily. The two Executive Assistants really don't like one another, culminating in a brawl between the two with only one victor. Not only that, but Rose isn't too keen on Lily. Iris is the original EA and is seen by the others as the pinnacle, but even she has a hard time keeping Lily in line. It's all adding up to an event that could be a big deal for Executive Assistants.

Full credit to Hernandez: he's in the EA universe. The sixth issue of the series is pretty steeped in EA lore and canon that it's difficult for a new reader to pick it up and know what's going on. The fight between Lily and Lilac is replete with plans being revealed and feelings uncovered. Iris' presence as something of a mentor to Lily is interesting as well, providing her with the most sagest of EA voices.

The art by Gunderson, Roslan and Gonzalez is strong. All the pages look well-finished and there are some overlaid panel layouts. Some of the facial detail in the characters is a little lacking, but the fight scenes still manage to come through well. There are some really great scenery pages as well, accentuating the settings the characters are moving through.

The issue is familiar territory for those who know the Executive Assistant mythos. That's not to say there's nothing new here, but the stories of powerful women fighting each other to wrest control of their lives away from others continues. For those who've never read the series, this isn't the best issue to start with, as there's a lot of backstory you'll need before jumping in.

Executive Assistant: Assassins #6 is available in stores now.