Monolith 2015
Written by Josh Dahl
Illustrated by Shawn Langley
Coloured by Micah Faulkner
I really like this as Josh manages to really write a very good story with gripping characters and placing them in situations where we get know them this well. Icicle is trying her best to cope with the events of last issue and it’s that why, why did he do this, why did he take her lover’s life, why is she still alive, all the why’s that build up and you have no way of accurately knowing or sometimes dealing with this that Josh brings in out in her. When she finally is able to get ahold of herself Coil is going to rue the day he did this.
Coil and the Crimson Ghost have gone somewhere else to have a meeting with an old associate of Coil’s. I’m not gonna lie I am somewhat intrigued here, while this King Shard looks familiar in the face like an old television Batman villain, as Shawn and Micah’s work here gives this character some real life. Even more interesting however is what Josh reveals and that’s something that came as a big surprise.
When Coil was just a punk kid named Hot Wire he worked with Shard and then up and left. Then another small timer pops up in Rapid City going by the name Coil where he’s working with the MRA and he’s one of the good guys. King Shard doesn’t know what to make of Coil, who he’s working for what his angle is and more importantly can he trust this man? Meanwhile at the MRA offices in Rapid City we see a man, Hartborn, going over the tape of what happened when Coil and his crew pulled the crown job. Something there doesn’t add up for him but he can’t quite place it yet.
This issue has so much going for it as the characters become fleshed out more and the story surrounding Coil becomes more complex and interesting. I’m impressed and excited for what’s coming next I had originally thought this would be a simple tale of revenge and instead it’s turned into something with a much larger mystery behind it where we arent’ sure of the characters motives. The expansion of characters we get to know makes that mystery deepen in ways that surprise you as a reader and keep you wanting to come back to see what is going to happen and just what Coil is really up to. Villain, good guy or purely an opportunist we don’t know but what’s revealed may surprise you.
The interior artwork is really nice here too. Yes it has some issues of consistency but honestly that doesn’t bother me. The black and white with shades of gray tones really does a great job setting the tone, mood and feel of the book and expressing the characters emotions.
I think it’s worth your time finding this one and checking out. Sometimes it really is true that the self-published stuff is sometimes the most interesting and can herald the coming of some industry talent to keep your eye on.