Graphic Novel Review... Parker: The Hunter
Richard Stark's Parker: The Hunter, by Richard Stark, Adapted by Darwyn Cooke, IDW
A BRIEF HISTORY lesson related to this adaptation of the popular crime fiction novel series...
Jason Stratham took the lead role in Parker, the first film to bear the name of the crime fiction character created by Richard Stark (a pseudonym for Donald E. Westlake) and that ended up getting indifferent reviews. Lee Marvin starred in Point Blank an adaptation of the first actual Parker novel, The Hunter, and that was remade with Mel Gibson as Payback, neither using the Parker name. The first time that was used was in the comic book series adapted by Darwyn Cooke, a major kudo for the medium.
Collected as a graphic novel series after first coming out as regular American comics, The Hunter relates how Parker, a professional thief, has been hoodwinked and left for dead, by his wife and the lowlife who hired him. His return to big city life and how he exacts his revenge. It’s an uncompromising adventure, played with few laughs, no twists. There is characterisation but there’s no one we greatly admire or can sympathise with, save Parker himself a little as the story slowly reveals just how wronged he’s been.
Regardless, this is a book people seriously interested in the comics medium should check out. Darwyn Cooke’s takes the cinematic storytelling presentation of the late Will Eisner in his own graphic novel work, the grit that Gil Kane brought to his Name is Savage, and wraps it within his own style (not least his own graphic design skills) admirably. If you close this book and can cope with more grimness, Cooke’s next adaptation of a Parker graphic novel in the series takes up the story, giving you that added twist and characterisation.
Sponsored by Target Media.
