Review by Ian Keogh

Jack Beans isn’t like the rest of us. Being a mathematical genius sets him apart from the vast majority, but that’s not the whole story. He sees the world as consisting of assorted mathematical calculations, and has a memory capable of recalling the minutest details about where he was at any given time, what he was wearing and who else was present. All that made him very valuable as a mob accountant, as did his being incapable of telling lie, until the point when it didn’t. As A Calculated Man opens Jack has spent three years in a witness protection programme, but his cover has been blown. He’s sorting that out in an inimitable manner via a conclusion few would have come to, and in the meantime the retiring Marshal who oversees Jack’s protection is introducing his successor to the case file.

As seen on so many other graphic novels, Paul Tobin is a creative writer who really thinks through the possibilities of his concepts, meaning Jack’s world and methods are constantly set to astound, and Tobin has a pretty good sense of humour as well. It leads to a succession of funny situations as Jack goes about what becomes a lethal business.

As this is comedy drama Alberto Alburquerque uses a cartoon style that perhaps sometimes dips a little too far into exaggeration and misshapen heads, but he delivers the action without dwelling on it, and sure gives Jack one hell of a hairstyle.

Tobin can’t quite sustain the genius level of plotting all the way through, and the end revelation is weak, but given there’s been almost four chapters of fun beforehand, what’s to complain about?