I was wondering how Tradd Moore was going to manage such a static image, given his work is so fluid. But if you look closely you can see how he manages to emphasis the rain splashing on the ground and collecting on our character’s figures. It provides quite the impact and impresses how heavy the rain is as it falls strictly perpendicularly. The image is quite the iconic one as it has been referred to since very early on in the series. I just love how Tradd depicts Coulson, sunglasses adorned in heavy precipitation with a nonchalant body posture. His head is cocked back and his arm is just dangling without fear or animosity. Whereas Clint is firmly stood with straight and firm posture, which is entirely necessary in readying his bow. Though his squinting eye is incredible given that the other one has a gun wedged into it. The whole scene is tense and often rain acts an adjunct for that atmosphere, but the colouring from Matt Wilson is also essential. There are only blues and whites, as even the black clothing has a blue hue to them depicting the cold dark atmosphere adding to the drama. I first saw the arrow versus the gun fight way back in Kevin Smith’s Green Arrow and it an intriguing confrontation. If Coulson shoots then Clint would automatically fire, whereas Coulson could be shot and have time to fire his gun. It is quite the stalemate but ultimately both these characters are loved and this posturing is probably as far as it will go. But it is a very cool scene as both characters are stern, unphased and focused on the task at hand. Tradd Moore’s classical stretched figures fit perfectly on the cover page, waiting for that flicker or twitch of muscle that could so easily set it all off. That is the split second in which we are frozen in admiration and anticipation.
House Of Flying Scalpels 