A MAN, A WOMAN AND SOME SPANDEX

I read another graphic novel written and illustrated by Howard Chaykin the other day. MIGHTY LOVE (2003) was published by DC Comics but the story and characters are not part of the DC Universe. Instead, this tale is set on "Earth Chaykin."

The tag-line for MIGHTY LOVE is "A man, a woman and some spandex". It's a super-hero rom/com for adults. Delaney Pope is a New York City police detective who spends her days arresting criminals and sending them to trial. Lincoln Reinhardt is a defense attorney who spends his days defending said criminals in the courts and winning their release. The cop and the lawyer hate each other.

They also secretly hate their jobs because at night, the two of them dress up in superhero costumes (he's Iron Angel, she's Skylark) and stalk the streets of the city busting the heads of crooks and corrupt cops. At first they operate separately and independently but their paths soon cross and sparks fly. At first antagonistic towards one another, they eventually team up to fight crime and discover a mutual attraction. They can confide in each other because they're both risking their lives for their own reasons and they both know that they're keeping secrets. They understand each other when in costume, an understanding that doesn't exist in their real lives.

The story has plenty of the usual Chaykin hallmarks of sex and violence but it's fast-paced, breezy and fun. It would make a good movie or a television series (think MOONLIGHTING). Thumbs up.