Heartthrob #2
Oni Press 2016
Written by Christopher Sebela
Illustrated by Robert Wilson IV
Coloured by Nick Filardi
Lettered by Dylan Todd
Callie sat on the sidelines all her life--the result of a congenital heart defect--until the miracle she’d been waiting for finally arrived in 1977 in the form of a heart transplant. With a new heart and a new lease on life, Callie found her life the way she left it, but unable to fit back into it, especially when Archway Insurance stuck her with the bill on her transplant surgery. Which is when she meets Mercer, an elusive man of action who slips in and out of her life until the day Callie quits her job and Mercer reveals he’s not just anyone he’s her heart donor. Only she can see and hear him, and he’s in love with her. Callie, overwhelmed, feels the same, even after Mercer tells her he used to be a master thief and wants to teach her everything he knows to help her rip off Archway and fund their brand new life together.
I’m a huge fan of this it’s funny, weird, exciting, frustrating and I sure as heck can’t figure out if Mercer is real or figment of her imagination cooked up by her mind to help her cope with everything she’s been through. A ghost whose heart she has haunts her, falls in love with her and teaches her the ins and outs of thievery yeah it all sounds too out there to be real. Yet watching her interact with him she’s either really off her meds or it’s the real deal and not really knowing what’s what, in my mind anyway, is part of the attraction to this book.
Christopher is writing this so darn well. The characterization and circumstances are just amazing to see unfold. I think one of the aspects of this that I think is great is that while it’s presented one way it can be interpreted in different ways and while I may not know exactly what’s going through Christopher’s mind with this it doesn’t matter. Whether you see this as some sort of supernatural Bonnie & Clyde adventure in the making or that one woman who has been through the ringer finally snaps completely is up the individual.
That this can be seen from both sides of the same coin showcases some great storytelling ability. Also we get to meet more characters here this issue as Callie finds herself more immersed in her new lifestyle. She’s trying her hand at learning the ways of being a thief and while she wants to dive into the deep end Mercer serving has her trainer, and twisted conscious, makes her start small to build up her skills and confidence. It’s kind of fun to see as she’s bumbling her way through and doesn’t realize that by relying so heavily on Mercer she’s not really in charge at least not in the traditional sense.
Also seeing the end result in action as well kind of makes you wonder about this bizarre relationship further. There’s just something incredibly original and interesting about this story that captures the imagination and doesn’t let go.
Robert and Nick so some really nice work on the interiors, While it’s the hairstyles that really evoke the late seventies, wish the clothing did more from what I remember it works well too. There’s also something about it that while not traditional it’s got a real charm to it that works well with the story. I really like the way the story flows through the issue from page to page, panel to panel and there are some absolutely great moments.
This is why I love Oni Press because you get these stories that are captivating and different that you don’t find anywhere else.
Oni Press 2016
Written by Christopher Sebela
Illustrated by Robert Wilson IV
Coloured by Nick Filardi
Lettered by Dylan Todd
Callie sat on the sidelines all her life--the result of a congenital heart defect--until the miracle she’d been waiting for finally arrived in 1977 in the form of a heart transplant. With a new heart and a new lease on life, Callie found her life the way she left it, but unable to fit back into it, especially when Archway Insurance stuck her with the bill on her transplant surgery. Which is when she meets Mercer, an elusive man of action who slips in and out of her life until the day Callie quits her job and Mercer reveals he’s not just anyone he’s her heart donor. Only she can see and hear him, and he’s in love with her. Callie, overwhelmed, feels the same, even after Mercer tells her he used to be a master thief and wants to teach her everything he knows to help her rip off Archway and fund their brand new life together.
I’m a huge fan of this it’s funny, weird, exciting, frustrating and I sure as heck can’t figure out if Mercer is real or figment of her imagination cooked up by her mind to help her cope with everything she’s been through. A ghost whose heart she has haunts her, falls in love with her and teaches her the ins and outs of thievery yeah it all sounds too out there to be real. Yet watching her interact with him she’s either really off her meds or it’s the real deal and not really knowing what’s what, in my mind anyway, is part of the attraction to this book.
Christopher is writing this so darn well. The characterization and circumstances are just amazing to see unfold. I think one of the aspects of this that I think is great is that while it’s presented one way it can be interpreted in different ways and while I may not know exactly what’s going through Christopher’s mind with this it doesn’t matter. Whether you see this as some sort of supernatural Bonnie & Clyde adventure in the making or that one woman who has been through the ringer finally snaps completely is up the individual.
That this can be seen from both sides of the same coin showcases some great storytelling ability. Also we get to meet more characters here this issue as Callie finds herself more immersed in her new lifestyle. She’s trying her hand at learning the ways of being a thief and while she wants to dive into the deep end Mercer serving has her trainer, and twisted conscious, makes her start small to build up her skills and confidence. It’s kind of fun to see as she’s bumbling her way through and doesn’t realize that by relying so heavily on Mercer she’s not really in charge at least not in the traditional sense.
Also seeing the end result in action as well kind of makes you wonder about this bizarre relationship further. There’s just something incredibly original and interesting about this story that captures the imagination and doesn’t let go.
Robert and Nick so some really nice work on the interiors, While it’s the hairstyles that really evoke the late seventies, wish the clothing did more from what I remember it works well too. There’s also something about it that while not traditional it’s got a real charm to it that works well with the story. I really like the way the story flows through the issue from page to page, panel to panel and there are some absolutely great moments.
This is why I love Oni Press because you get these stories that are captivating and different that you don’t find anywhere else.
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