5 Shots (Creative Elamentz Studios 2008)
Review by G.L. Giles
Story by Jemir Robert Johnson

This graphic novel of 100 pages includes five separate stories all involving the female private eye Jay Nova. The five tales are “Deadline,” “Sunset,” “The Knight in Question,” “Forward Fast” and “Burning Flag.” Street savvy and armed with a tough demeanor, Jay Nova has no problem operating in high crime neighborhoods that frequently breed death and deception. Aiding her in both staying alive and solving crime is Nova’s secret weapon: she’s able to read minds. Jay Nova and her fellow investigator, Randy Michaels, own a small investigating business called Light Star Investigations where clients come for help. And, for the right price, Jay and Randy will take care of their trying situations, to put it mildly. As investigating partners, Jay and Randy definitely have each other’s back, and their verbal exchanges are also sometimes pretty funny. My favorite story was the last one, “Burning Flag,” as it shows a reality for many people, even though this is a fictional story, through one character who’s mentally stuck in an impoverished way of thinking and violent atmosphere (due to seeming family obligations). The artwork was also very powerful in “Burning Flag” with panels depicting identical houses, showing the hopelessness of being homogenized by one way of thought. Or at least that’s how I saw it. The artwork by Shawn Decker and Matthew Wilbekin really stood out in that storyline, too. Yet, all the artwork throughout the entire graphic novel is good, and it was interesting to see the various artists’ interpretation of Jay Nova in the different tales. Artwork by Luis Sierra in “Deadline” is especially worthy of mention, too, with his use of panels (especially in the close-ups) and splash pages. Over all, definitely worth picking up a copy for a fast-paced, one-sitting read. I give it an 8 out of 10. 5 Shots is available at www.amazon.com, www.barnesandnoble.com and www.bamm.com or for more information visit www5shots.com