Peepland #1

   This is the first of the line of Hard Case Crime comics I've seen, but if Peepland is any indication, they're definitely angling for stories about the grimy underbelly of society.

   Set in 1986, this series, which is definitely just for adults, follows a stripper / sex worker named Roxy who is working in a Peep Show (performing salacious acts while the customer watches).

   A slimy acquaintance named Dirty Dick (I am not making this up) is being pursued by some toughs, and his escape attempt leads him through the Peep Show, where he hides a VHS tape.

   The secret hidden on the tape throws Roxy and her friends into a mystery - a deadly one.

   The story is written by Christa Faust and Gary Philips, and it evokes a grim hardboiled crime story - one that's all too realistic and unsavory.

   I like the art by Andrea Camerini - it's vivid and real, with a surprising use of depth and great characters.

   It's well crafted but not for the faint of heart - and certainly not for kids.

Grade: B+

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