Oni Press 2014
Written by Joshua Hale Fialkov
Illustrated by Joe Infurnari
Flatted by Jason Fischer
Dear Diary, My brother is in Jail and all my friends are acting shady. And as if that isn’t enough, I had a seizure three months ago and I have no idea why…
This was unlike anything I’ve been reading and the way Joshua constructed this story was really very interesting. It’s a reverse kind of thing as we start off with one event and keep going back in time to see how all this really unfolded and led up to that moment. Along the way Heidi gets some serious new characterization as well and I have to say this is one of those surprise stories that keeps going in directions that I never expected and admire Joshua's mind for being able to envision it and take us there.
So we start with today and see Heidi in bed with banging on her door. As she gets up to answer it the door crashes open and she’s arrested but she has no idea why. So Joshua takes us on a backward journey spanning the three month period to when she had that mysterious seizure.
Three days before the event Billy calls Heidi and warns her she is in danger. Both Grady’s are in the present and Billy warns her that they are doing something to each of them and she’s in danger. They are trying to take the group off the playing field so they do their own thing and shape the future as they want it to unfold. At least that’s what I took from their conversation it’s plausible and if things continue the way they are then that’s exactly what it looks like is happening. Though Heidi isn’t inclined to listen to her brother right now as seeing him in this state makes her think he’s crazy.
Eight days ago Heidi finally gets too drunk and makes a move and comes out of the closet as a lesbian. Ama works at the bar that Heidi’s been frequenting lately and we see her there quite often and eleven days ago current Grady pays her a visit to talk. Oh Grady is an ass and doesn’t like the venue chosen for the meeting as if a man running for Congress in San Francisco wouldn’t be caught dead in a drag bar, which it’s not by the way. HIs attitude is horrendous and I think we really see just what all this has actually done to him and his ambition. Even though Grady was with Billy when he was arrested but ran away he’s saying that Billy is dangerous and should locked away for his and everyone’s own good. Yeah he’s gone over to the dark side and it isn’t attractive.
As we go further back things get more intense, weird and quite honestly oddly fascinating. This causes me to wonder what the hell is going on making my spin with possibilities and how the Grady’s have orchestrated it all to go this way. This really takes this series someplace other than we introduced to it as. If they were focused on changing the world from what they learned in the Bunker from all that genetically modified food that caused the downfall of the planet when did it all go horribly awry and was that business nothing more than a red herring for is actually happening now?
Joe’s work on the interiors is simply stunning. As each issue hits you get more and more appreciative of his unique style and it becomes so much nicer. His work is improving and evolving each issue so that the whole look and feel we get just keeps getting us more involved in the story.
That I have no idea where this is heading anymore and I have to come back issue after issue just see what’s going to happen next makes reading this purely joyful.