Miami Vice: Remix #1

by Joe Casey, Jim Mahfood & Justin Stewart

James “Sonny” Crockett and Ricardo “Rico” Tubbs are back fighting crime on the sunny but dirty beaches of Miami. This is the first release for IDW’s newest imprint, Lion Forge, which gives IDW even more licensed properties to explore. Miami Vice: Remix has Sonny and Rico working undercover to take down Miami’s current drug ring.  However, there are forces stirring against the pair and a new psychedelic drug on the streets of Miami that seems to be turning users into zombies.

Bringing an 80’s staple like Miami Vice to comics in 2015 is no easy achievement. When you have writer Joe Casey attached to a project, you know you’re going to get a one of a kind story. Casey brings readers up to speed pretty quickly; showing glimpses of other characters and hints at their involvement in the story. Everything is set up cleanly and readers know what they’re in for by the end of this issue. You won’t need any prior Miami Vice knowledge to just jump right into this issue. Casey is an expert of writing a solid comic debut which he showcases here. Miami Vice: Remix would be an awesome story to read even if it wasn’t based on a television show.

Jim Mahfood has one of the most bombastically unique art styles to grace the pages of comics. Reading any book illustrated by Mahfood is like watching sequential graffiti unfold before your eyes. Some of Joe Casey’s best work has been told through many eccentric artists but Mahfood is a perfect fit for Miami Vice: Remix. Mahfood’s art, along with luscious colors by Justin Stewart, still inflict that neon 80’s look that you might associate with Miami Vice. Nevertheless, Mahfood and Stewart also give Miami Vice: Remix a timeless look that doesn’t feel dated. One panel that really stood out was when a henchman took the zombie drug and has a psychedelic experience that looks incredibly trippy.

Miami Vice: Remix plays off of 80’s nostalgia while still just being an entertaining comic anyone can enjoy.  Putting Joe Casey and Jim Mahfood together on any project would be a great idea; it just so happens Miami Vice: Remix is that project. Both creators have a knack for being extreme in their own form of storytelling. You might worry that when two people like that come together it might be an undecipherable mess. However, Casey and Mahfood complement each other quite well and because of this Miami Vice: Remix is a hell of a lot of fun to read.