IDW Publishing 2017
Written by Luciano Saracino
Illustrated by Ariel Olivetti
Lettered by Shawn Lee
Translated & Edited by Carlos Guzman
Well after last issues explosive start it’s time to go back a bit and see how Curt ended up being the latest Ich to wear the Masks. I really do miss the young man from the first series and while I’m hoping that at some point in time the old man is able to unlock the power of his mind so he’s able to recall his past lives, personalities or what have you’s. Though I will say this that we are getting the origin of the masks is a fair tradeoff indeed.
Oh then to see the opposite side of the coin here as he who has followed the legend of the masks and wants to attain their power for himself tells his side of the tale. Granted it’s to a woman who’s probably akin to a whore in his eyes but hey it’s the story that matters not the reason why it’s being told. Though again I was hoping this was the demon that came to South America to destroy the Ich and help the Spanish conquer while we learned a bit about the culture and lore of a peoples we know so little about, here in the northern regions.
Alright so the origin of the evil that Ich is to be facing now is something spectacular! In this telling of it it’s akin to seeing the story of the Omen come to life before us. I mean seriously that Ariel is able to bring this to life so freaking beautifully and with such horror, menace and breathtaking beauty is beyond words. His use of page layouts with their angles, perspective and use of backgrounds is astonishing to behold and the way the light sources are used and the colouring done is remarkable!
I will admit that the masks do take a particular soul to make work correctly and those that don’t possess the required skill set shall we call it will undoubtedly be destroyed by them. Though not our guy considering what he turned into and how many different masks he’s tried and almost succeeded in dying because of, it’s what makes his desire to possess the knowledge and control them that makes him such a delicious villain and someone whom I could totally see taking advantage and control of the situation from Curt/Ich and destroying this newest incarnation.
So long as there will be stories of good versus evil that stem from a place, power and time before man’s recollection there will those who attempt to tell them. These men here are telling one such story and it’s beyond what we have come to expect out of our comic book readings. It’s got such strong and magnificent characters, stunning characterization that reveals and leaves plenty of room for further exploration and it contains that special something that is told as lore or passed down for generations to be nothing more than old wives tales today. This is what the power of storytelling can do however it’s something for us to get lost in and learn from if told right.
IDW has broadened my horizons by bringing a book that was published in a foreign country and translated it so that we could revel in what other’s already know. That the world is a playground and we should only be so lucky to find a corner of it to play in!