Hank Howard, Pizza Detective: A Slice Of Life #2 — Venditti and Lapham Serve Up the Final Slice
Robert Venditti and David Lapham bring the explosive two-part finale of Hank Howard’s latest case to a head in South Florida’s chaotic Gasparilla Pirate Festival. With a murder charge hanging over a pizza chain and a killer on the loose, this is detective noir with extra cheese.
There is a specific kind of joy in reading a crime comic that refuses to take itself too seriously while still delivering genuine stakes. Hank Howard, Pizza Detective operates in that sweet spot. It is a series that knows exactly what it is—a gritty, no-nonsense investigator who happens to work for a regional pizza chain in South Florida—and it leans into that premise with gusto. This isn’t just about solving a murder; it’s about the texture of the world Venditti and Lapham have built, where the smell of pepperoni can mix with the scent of gunpowder and salt spray.
The setup here is deliciously tense. In the previous issue, Hank was caught up in a passionate reunion with an old flame, a moment of personal warmth that quickly turned cold when a regular customer at the Big Caligula location, George Horvath, was found dead. Now, the widow is pressing wrongful death charges against the pizza chain, claiming the establishment failed to protect her husband. But Hank knows better. He knows this wasn’t an accident or a negligent slice of dough—it was a cold-blooded hit meant to grease someone’s palm. The clock is ticking, and the truth is buried somewhere in the chaos.
What makes this issue a must-read is the setting. The story moves into the heart of the Gasparilla Pirate Festival, a real-world South Florida event that provides the perfect backdrop for a chaotic cat-and-mouse game. David Lapham’s art, known for its raw, muscular energy and expressive character work, transforms the festival into a den of thieves and distractions. You can feel the crowd, the noise, and the danger lurking in every shadow. Lapham’s pencils give the action a weighty, grounded feel that makes every punch and every clue feel significant. If you love the way noir art can convey mood without needing a single word of exposition, you are in for a treat.
This two-part story is the culmination of Venditti and Lapham’s run so far, and it promises to be a high-octane finish. Venditti’s writing balances the procedural elements of detective work with the absurdity of the setting, creating a rhythm that keeps you turning pages. It’s a story about loyalty, justice, and the lengths a man will go to clear his name and protect the people he cares about. If you have been following Hank’s journey, this is the reward. If you have been on the fence, this is the perfect chance to dive in and see why this character has earned such a dedicated following.