Dynamite Entertainment 2015
Written by Warren Ellis
Illustrated by Colton Worley
Coloured by Morgan Hickman
Each issue seems to get more and more intense as if it’s crescendoing reaching that fevered pitch until it explodes. I love the whole dark tone and feel that permeates this series. It just has this oomph to it that everytime you see it sends shivers down your spine and helps you recall instantly the previous issues as soon as you see the first page.
Colton and Morgan do some really incredible and unique work on the interiors. While it’s dark, creepy and full of fear there is such attention to detail in it that it takes the reader by surprise. When Gary Preston finally reappears and comes out of his fiery state the details we see just take your breath away and fuel the imagination. Though part of me wishes since he’s naked we see his nakedness but when he uses his powers again to help out our pair who killed her boyfriend last issue again the visual is pretty amazing like nothing we’ve seen before.
So now three are together and there are more waiting to take or haunt others and time is running short and they don’t have time to do things slowly or nicely. It’s time for them to do what they must and prepare for what’s coming, the American Spirit. Maggie came here to be a cop and have a nice quiet life that however isn’t in the cards and the Woman in Red is telling what’s happening and what’s going to happen as they merge into one.
Warren has created and executed a super-hero story unlike any other. There is a depth and mystery to this that isn’t easy to wrap the head around. He causes your imagination to run wild with scenarios so as a reader we can try to grasp what’s happening. That’s the great part because in reality we have no idea what’s happening. The American Spirit I thought had been one of the good guys so why are his former companions haunting others and worried about his actions now? Will the haunting of these folks stop or do they become the next generation to bear the names and powers of those who haunt them or will the ghosts come back from the dead? We have no idea and that’s part of the fun.
There’s a darkness inherent to this story dealing with heroes and their ghosts haunting people and using them but it isn’t as scary as the darkness might infer. Instead it’s full of questions and actions that fuel the mind into action. This is the polar opposite of what is happening the Masks mini-series and that alone makes it fun to read because rarely do we get a look a story such as this. Darker and with that sense of desperation and doom surrounding it make it more appealing. Plus that we know so little about the characters and their motives all we can do is get wrapped up in what’s transpiring and keep coming back hoping to learn more.
Dynamite has a way of reviving characters in unique and unexpected ways and this story proves that. Plus with the talent of these folks what it is there’s no question that this is why we love and flock to their work.