Action Lab Entertainment 2019
Written by John Reilly
Illustrated by Tom Rogers
Coloured & Lettered by Dexter Weeks
Crowley’s Scarlet Women find a new target in Tesla. Hitler finds Rasputin to be a difficult ward to manage. Howard and Sonia’s curse enters a new stage of development.
There is a reason why this is one of my favourite series. I mean it's alternate history, it's got the most recognisable names in history and it is a complete hoot-n-nanny of a time. I love the fact that the inventions and what's considered a rivalry is present and it's somewhat accurate. That we see them with all these outrageous mythical beings, ya know Cthulhu and such, or sirens which I think are Succubi and all these factors just enhance everything we see. We know a bit of their personalities and behaviour which has been written down by others and utilising that as base from which to grow John's interpretation of them has been a true treat.
The story & plot development here is fabulous! The way we are introduced to characters and seeing how they get themselves into and out of them is very genius and entertaining. The character development here is marvellous and I love how we see them behave and act in ways that anchor them to what history has told us about them. When we see the pacing added into the mix and how the twists and turns come to light along with a few revelations that make your eyes go wide with that shocked look of excitement! The ebb & flow created by all this is sensational to see and a joy to read as it just feels like it's being orchestrated, not by John, but by the forces in play that need our intrepid heroes for some nefarious reason. Bwa ha ha
So why isn't this an ongoing monthly this is only a three issue arc to bridge the story between the last one and the next. So it would make sense to me just turn it into a monthly but hey what do I know? I do know that Tesla's obsession with finding Amelia and his feeling of betrayal from all those around him is going to get ugly soon, and the clues are all around us on this one. Just the fact that John is such a solid storyteller and how he manages to get us into the story, engaged and invested in these characters and what they are going through is a testament to his skill and talent as a writer.
The interiors here are very nicely done. It is more of an all-ages look and feel to it, however, the characters are instantly recognisable and the way he utilises the linework to create the attention to detail is greatly appreciated. I also have to say I am utterly thrilled and quite enthralled by the way backgrounds are being utilised here as well. They do so much to enhance the moments and bring a sense of size and scope to the story. While we all our favourite moments, and the choices here are plentiful, the house and seeing the Lovecrafts at night yeah that was superb. The colour work that we see is great and really like the shading and shadow work that we see here. Plus the pinks and reds and how their various hues and tones are utilised is top notch.
This is beyond fantastic, to see the moments that remind us of something else and how gross and fascinating things can get within these pages is more than you could hope for. With the writing and the interiors being so well crafted and so complimentary to one another, and they make a great team these creators, showcases precisely why this is among my must reads every single time it's out.