This is the third issue in a 4 parter that is a follow-on to the award-winning TOP 10 from some years ago. That original run, now collected in two trade volumes, was an instant classic and is well worth seeking out.

Super heroes as precinct cops, what could be happier and better? Original writer Alan Moore moved on as he always does, but of his works Top 10 was always the best prospect for survival without the founder. An earlier miniseries by a lesser hand was tepid — skip it and save your money — but this is much better, full of plot twists and agonizing character development. You don’t really need to have read the earlier volumes, but I guarantee this will send you scurrying to find them.

The only problem I foresee is that the creators cannot possibly conclude everything in the solitary issue remaining. They may be planning four more. Gene Ha, the artist, may need the time to draw and ink, and a cliffhanging break would give him the leeway. At least I sure hope so!

Many comics these days suffer from decompression — a technical euphemism for flab. A teaspoon’s worth of story, a tale that would have made a two-parter at most in the past, is now scraped over half a dozen issues, like not enough butter over too much toast. Top 10 has always been the reverse, a comic crammed full and packed down. For this alone it deserves love. And any story that involves a shady organization called Premise Keepers (I will not spoil it for you, but the image that popped into your mind is correct!) is worth perusing!