HAWAIIAN DICK: Byrd of Paradise

This fun romp takes readers to 1953 Hawaii, where washed-up and beaten-down private detective Byrd finds himself embroiled in an island mystery beyond his mainland expertise. A gangster's girlfriend is kidnapped, and Byrd is hired by both the gangster and the kidnapper. But as in any good crime novel, he finds more than he expected; ancient tribal customs, zombies and good old-fashioned forensic work all come into play. Moore has a knack for swift crime fiction dialogue and fun details like jazz records and Hawaiian lingo. But it's Griffin's art that sets the series apart. He delineates the landscape in subtle pastels and fluid, detailed cartooning, and handles the characters with equal aplomb. The characters' expressions are lifelike and well accented, and he relates the few real action sequences clearly and with some excitement. This volume collects the first three issues in the series and includes over 50 pages of extra material, including early strips, sketches, notes and even cocktail recipes. The whole package is carried off with a sense of wit and craft not often seen in genre comics and should charm both crime fiction and tiki lovers. (Oct.)