Dexter #5 (Marvel)

(via CBDB)

writer: Jeff Lindsay

artist: Dalibor Talajic

I don't really understand the appeal of Dexter, the "serial killer who kills serial killers."  He's another of those anti-heroes who have proliferated in pop culture in recent years, possibly inspired by Hannibal Lecter, and in this case quite literally so, a bad guy who goes after bad guys.  We're supposed to root for him mostly because otherwise he's also another character who goes around solving crimes (even though that's not necessarily his job description).

And so there are books about him, TV shows about him, and comic books about him.  Creator Jeff Lindsay wrote this comic.  

I still don't get it.  I mean, it's all perfectly fine, and the results are competent and everything, but I still don't the character as inherently compelling.  I mean, he gets captured by the people he's trying to bring down.  Then he just slips out of his restraints.  And then serial kills.  

I would expect something more impressive from the character's creator, but then maybe because I'm already expecting to not be impressed, it's much easier to...not...be.

And so I leave this comic behind without higher an opinion of Dexter than when I picked it up.