Comic books: 'Cowboys' and demon hunters

The Teetering Tower of Review Stuff is perilously high, so let's wade through some of it:

"Cowboys": I usually enjoy DC's Vertigo Crime line of mature-reader graphic novels, but the latest needed tighter editing. "Cowboys" ($20) features two levels of law enforcement infiltrating the same criminal organization: a street cop from the white-collar side and an FBI agent from the street-level side. Neither is aware of the other, and lethal mistakes are inevitable. That's a pretty good concept for a noir-ish crime mystery, but author Gary Phillips takes way too long setting it up. Because both cops are wife-cheating, smart-mouthed jerks, all the supporting characters are equally venal and unlikable and the criminals are the worst kind of scum, it's hard to care what happens to any of then. Fortunately, Brian Hurtt's art provides no-frills, crystal-clear storytelling.

"Okko": Archaia's "Okko" is about a band of demon hunters in Pajan, a fictional place much like Edo-era Japan but where the supernatural is real. It's a cross between a samurai epic and "Dungeons and Dragons." Our little team consists of a ronin swordmaster; a mysterious, 7-foot warrior who never removes his demon mask; a drunken, magic-using cleric; and the cleric's teenage disciple. In the latest collection ("Okko Vol. 3: The Cycle of Air," $20), our glum little group fights another demon hunter who is virtually unbeatable. The story is inventive and fun, although writer/artist Hub could be more forthcoming with exposition.

"Hardy Boys": The "Hardy Boys: The New Case Files" series by Papercutz is meant for young readers, yet I'm enjoying it. Full credit goes to author Gerry Conway, who has spent decades scribing comics and television. He has a light touch that never lets the reader see the little man behind the curtain. The latest book, "Break Up!" ($7), is a case in point. Friction between Joe and Frank has been skillfully foreshadowed, and you fully expect the boys to end their famous team. But Conway maintains suspense until the story finds an organic but unforeseen conclusion. I wish comics written for adults were this good.

"Empire State": Abrams ComicArts' "Empire State" ($18) is subtitled "A Love Story (or Not)," and that pretty much sums it up. It's the story of a mismatched pair of friends in Oakland, Calif., who journey to New York City. First it's the boy, an unsophisticated but good-hearted dim bulb who tries out for a Google job he is grossly unqualified for; then it's the girl, a chubby, intelligent, well-read Jewish girl who moves to "Rome" because she fits in better there. Drawn in a cartoony style by writer/artist Jason Shiga, the storytelling is excellent and easy to follow. But the ending seemed telegraphed from the first, and the journey to that expected conclusion was dull. I did find the art interesting, and I bet readers of a more romantic bent will really dig it.