The cover to CPD 70 #1 is a bit misleading. One look at it, and one would think it’s a zombie book, or maybe a re-imagining of MANIAC COP. It is neither of these things, and that’s for the best.
The Chicago PD cops have long been known to be ruthless bastards, even by today’s standards. Imagine how much more violent they would have been in 1970, when rules weren’t quite so strict, and they could get away with a lot more.
Writer Luke Stokes imagines just that for this book. In his introduction, he says that this book will explore the depths of the collective psyche of the time, covering not just corrupt cops, but also criminals, Black Panthers, the LGBT community, just about every group from back then.
The first issue fares pretty well. It’s an unflinching look at the time. Two cops—CK and Dugan—stop by a cop bar run by a retired officer named Sal to have a few shots of whiskey to hold the Chicago winter at bay as they work. While they’re there, a black guy sees them and mutters under his breath “fucking pigs,” and Dugan decides that “this shine needs a tune-up.” After he beats the everloving shit out of this poor guy, his partner fetches him so they can go get some pancakes.
Wow. That’s pretty fucking brutal, eh? The ruthlessness is helped by John Airo’s stark and grim artwork. You can practically feel the cold wafting off the pages. Best of all, you never get to see the cops’ faces, just the shadow from under their caps, and their relentless grins.
It’s too bad this is a short, digest-sized book. One hopes that this creative team will have much more to offer in the years to come. Keep an eye out for them; they’ll be hard to miss.
CPD 70 #1
Written by Luke Stokes
Illustrated by John Airo
Published by CPD 70
12 pages
$3
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