Cover of Velvet

Velvet

Written by Ed Brubaker. Art by Steve Epting.

Ranked No. 28 of 100 · 2013 · Image Comics / USA

Cold War espionage, international conspiracy, action thriller

An intelligence secretary knows far more about fieldwork than anyone suspects.

Overview

Velvet Templeton is drawn back into danger when an operative is killed and the evidence points toward her. Brubaker and Epting launched the series in October 2013, building a 1970s espionage story around a woman whose past has been carefully hidden.

Why It Matters

The series shifts the spy thriller’s point of view toward a figure others underestimate, making office hierarchy and secret history part of the suspense.

Genre & Themes

Espionage action and conspiracy mystery turn on surveillance, betrayal and the cost of being used by an agency.

Art & Visual Identity

Epting’s cinematic staging keeps chases and quiet conversations equally tense; Breitweiser’s color reinforces the period atmosphere.

Read This If You Like

  • Cold War espionage
  • Underestimated heroines
  • Conspiracy thrillers