Parker: The Hunter, Darwyn Cooke (IDW)

Adapted from crime novelist Richard Stark's (AKA Donald Westlake) novel about a cold-blooded killer, The Hunter is local cartoonist Darwyn Cooke's first foray into literary adaptation, after working on Marvel and DC titles. Set in a New York full of 1960s smooth-talking, cocktail-swilling white-collar criminals, Cooke's graphic retelling draws you in. Illustrated with beautiful brush strokes and blue inks, he strikes a perfect balance between storytelling and replicating the feel of 1960s ad design. The drawings create a static feel through murders, sex and blackmail, an ideal backdrop for Parker, a protagonist distinguished by his total lack of feeling.