Dark Circle Comics 2015
Written by Frank Tieri
Illustrated by Felix Ruiz
Coloured by Kelly Fitzpatrick
Lettered by Rachel Deering
I couldn’t be any happier that Dark Circle is here with these new, updated and gloriously dark versions of these characters. Even better is the talent they’ve assembled to do it like these fine folks. I have to say this issue opened up in such a way that was almost too terrifying. Kids are supposed to be the picture of innocence and what we get here is like something out of the Omen. So what this has to do with the story well read it and see just know this it’s the kind of writing and stuff that can, will and is meant to chill you to the bone.
After that things get crazy interesting. I mean wow this book is intense in every sense of the word. The introduction of further characters on all sides of the coin as it were just serve to heighten the intrigue and mystery of what’s happening here. It’s all been crafted in such a way that we are as lost as Minetta is in all this but we are dying, pun intended, to learn it all as well. There are some incredibly good ways to write and in this industry we see them all so having one jump out at you then stay with you is definitely one to take notice of.
Now this issue also introduces us to another character Jack Tenant. He’s the Hangman’s scribe now I am not all that familiar with the characters long and storied history but I do believe this to be a new character. If so i’m all for it and his job, both of them, is perfectly suited for Mikey to not only understand the Hangman’s history, his predecessor Dickering but what he’s expected to be and do. Now i’m suppositioning that last part but it does for me make complete and perfect sense. Still the prospect is wonderful and the potential is phenomenal and I’ve enjoyed seeing scribe’s in other places so this one intrigues me greatly.
There is so much going on this issue and while it may seem like a lot happening quickly it’s paced perfectly. It’s going from one to another at just the right clip to feel like you are getting more bang for your buck. I’m not only highly impressed with the level of storytelling, introduction of new recurring characters and their characterization but that it’s all done in a way that keeps you riveted to the page. I mean really the dialogue in this issue is infused with my kind of humour and it’s unbelievably on point.
Felix and Kelly manage to take Frank’s story and keep this whole dark, brooding and foreboding feelings permeate from each page. Between feeling Mikey’s frustration to the sheer terror of what is happening to the absolute dismay in display they capture it all with subtle nuances as well as bold in your face moments. The way the book is structured through pages and panel layouts to close-ups at specific moments to violence use in an almost unassuming way really demonstrates the power the artistic team has to enhance a story of this magnitude.
It’s the right place in time for Dark Circle to tell their tales and reinvent their characters for a new and modern audience.