12-Gauge Comics/Image Comics 2017
Written by Doug Wagner
Illustrated by Daniel Hillyard
Coloured by Laura Martin
Lettered by Ed Dukeshire
Has there ever been a story where you are actually rooting for the psychotic killer as he searches for his sex doll? Edwyn is an utterly fantastic character and it’s true none of this would be happening if that boy had minded his own business. But no his father is well connected, bought and paid for the local sheriff's office and thinks there’s nothing he’s not able to or entitled to do. Except he took Virginia the only thing that’s kept Edwyn’s violent urges at bay for the past ten years.
I think the opening of this issue was one of those that will remain with me forever. Granted when you are bought and paid for you do have that feeling that you are entitled to use your position to do whatever you damn well please. So poor Gwen being in the wrong place at the wrong time was going to be cruelly raped by Thomas. Oh i’m not saying he didn’t deserve exactly what he got because he pretty much did but it’s also one of the most visually stunning non-gore violent scenes that will leave a massive impression.
So this issue introduces Gwen and well we don’t know her story but what we do see of her is rather remarkable. Though if/when the adrenaline wear off and she comes down to Earth we’ll see if anything changes. In the meantime I love the characterisation and her choices that she’s making. She’s hitchhiking her way around i’m guessing and as long as she’s in this neck of the wood she’s safer with Edwyn than without. Whether or not that’s true remains to be seen but hey Edwyn gets my vote that’s for sure!
So i’m also a huge fan of the interior artwork done by Daniel and Laura. I mentioned earlier the lack of gore and strong impression left earlier in the issue and the work throughout really does pretty much the same thing. The use of page layouts and how angles, perspective and backgrounds are utilised is wonderfully done. The linework is smooth and clean which gives us that classic comic book style. It’s nicely done and works extremely well with the story at hand.
There’s this delicious method to the madness in this story. In many ways it’s got the mood, tone and feel of DC’s the Joker or Harley Quinn only in this instance it’s more fully realised in terms of sheer crazy. That Edwyn is the kind of man whose impulses can be tamed by Virginia his plastic sex doll has all the earmarks of this being as fascinating as it is. I mean his love for Virginia while suppressing the desires he’s once had that he still possess the mindset to slip into old habits so completely is delicious.
I doff thy hat to those fine fellows who have managed to create this and execute it with such aplomb.