GRAVEL #16 (AVATAR): I’ve given this particular note on Gravel before, but this is easily my favorite series Warren Ellis is doing right now. Stuff like Black Summer and No Hero are fine and fun, but they’re all just riffs, tossed off ideas about superheroes, or other genres, put in comics form. Even something like Dr. Sleepless is more or less Warren Ellis writing about whatever he read about in Boing Boing or Wired that day, and then having the residents of Heavenside freak out about.

Gravel, on the other hand, starts with a high concept idea: crusty old combat magician comes back to England and proceeds to take down all the corrupt magic users in the UK. But it’s considerably grown since its first few issues, tweaking the concept, and actually allowing the situation to change.

Spoilers for the first fifteen issues of the series after this, but Gravel is now the most powerful magic user in Britain, created his own “Minor Seven” from more street level magicians like himself, and dealing with a whole new set of issues… Specifically the British government, which is tolerant of Gravel as long as he stays out of human affairs.

After so many huge arcs and world-building, its nice to settle down for an issue, with a done-in-one military mystery that draws Gravel (for the time being) off his high perch. It’s a pretty straight-forward revenge tale, but Ellis’ dialogue crackles, as usual. And though Mike Wolfer is working in the Avatar house style (bloody and realistic), he brings some cartoony flourishes to the series that make it distinct from the rest of the company’s output.

There’s also a nice tease at the end which should get fans chomping at the bit for more; and nice, subtle character reveals for at least two members of the new Minor Seven that make good arguments for their addition to the supporting cast of the book.

I know Gravel is in development at Legendary Pictures, with Ellis writing a script based on his own book, and that’s awesome. But with this issue, there’s an even better argument for making this an ongoing TV series. It’s eminently adaptable, and seeing the adventures of William Gravel on a weekly basis would be a real thrill. Though, I’m not sure anyone could afford to make the show the way it plays out in the comic.

Go back and pick up the trades, pick up this issue, just do yourself a favor, and pick up Gravel.