Image Comics 2015
Written by Warren Ellis
Illustrated by Declan Shalvey
Coloured by Jordie Bellaire
I like the way that Warren is taking his time with how he’s unravelling the story and each character’s importance to it. All too often we want things rushed and explained right away but there’s something to be said for letting it all play out naturally with a solid story, characterization and an interesting premise. With the interiors by Declan giving us this wonderful purview into the world they live in the overall effect is that this story promises to be something extraordinary.
Brigid has been portrayed as the least well adjusted of the bunch and what we’ve seen so far isn’t going to help her any. The narration that goes along with her in the opening pages makes her more interesting and draws you in so you want to learn more about her.
More revealing however was the conversation between Maria and Robin. I love that he seems to be the opposite of a Constantine, comes from a long line of Cunning Men who kept the world safe from the things that go bump in the night only he has absolutely no belief that any of them really exist and explains them away with the use of local lore and legend. Even when faced with one he dispels it by not believing in it taking away it’s power and chalking it all up to some sort of hallucination. While Maria, looking haggard and worn down and lot older than she is, Robin seems to look like he’s a typical blonde academic both of them trying to reconcile what they are doing and justify how it’s being done.
I have say pages twelve and thirteen by Declan and Jordie are brilliantly done they just take your breath away in the imagery we see on the page. Though next time have Robin’s ass fit a little better in his jeans will ya. This really is one of those moments that set the book apart from the crowd in what is happening and how we see that brought to life.
Ah the background segment this issue where they all talk about who they are what their knowledge is and all that jazz. Yeah it’s pretty interesting to see them looking normal as they start out and not as haggard and aged as they appear now. I can’t wait to keep reading and seeing just which mission tore them apart and made them age so rapidly. It has to be one doozy of a story to have broken them up and kept them all talking to one another like the support group full of same encounter survivors who are the only ones capable of understanding.
The connections they have and how they were forged is what we’re dying to see here the rest is all a bit of smoke and mirrors meant to establish who they are now as we see bit by bit who they were when they met. While we may all wish to peek behind the curtain we’re at Warren’s mercy and they pacing, characterization, plot development and especially the interior artwork to go along with that is bloody spectacular.