Smoke And Guns
What if the milieu of the noir films of the late 1940s and early 1950s had paved the way to a gritty future in which cigarette girls with guns ruled the streets? That's what has happened in this hysterical send-up of pulp culture. Scarlett is a Fifth District Puff with ambition. She pushes the boundaries when she starts selling cigarettes outside of her district, In fact, she triggers an all-out cigarette-girl turf war. Baldock's writing is hip and clever; she's unafraid of letting the world she creates unfold as much through the events we see as in the actions and reactions of the characters. The art is in a stylized, high-contrast monochrome that pays homage to the atmosphere of noir yet keeps its distinctiveness; Moon well conveys the story's dark humor without tilting toward slapstick.Tina ColemanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved