Dark Horse Comics 2015
Story by Joe R. Linsdale
Written by Mark Alan Miller
Illustrated by Piotr Kowalski
Coloured by Kelly Fitzpatrick
Lettered by Nate Piekos of Blambot
This really has been one of the most unexpected delightful stories i’ve come across. I admit I read an insane amount of books each week, that’s the pitfall of reviewing, and sometimes it’s hard to find something that is unique and stands out as something you haven’t seen before and this one did that. I’m glad that when the first issue came out I gave this a shot.
In the opening we go back to Feather hanging upside down nailed to a cross. Thank you Piotr for demonstrating to everyone the proper way to hang someone from the cross! It amazes me how many people aren’t aware of the proper way to present that instead relying upon the changed “church” depiction which well wouldn’t hold anyone up for long. Also for a couple years now i’ve been a huge fan of Piotr’s and each outing that fandom is rewarded, this issue when he shows us what happens with Feather and what he goes through it really is so magnificently done and it demonstrates the man’s will, grit and determination not to mention pain, agony and sheer force of his will just through his work.
Beadle was taken by the Dark Rider and it seems for all intent and purpose that hope has been lost. I love what we see here because it’s old school torture at it’s finest. No silly creativity in doing things just plain effective old fashioned make a man scream by doing what we now think of as the classics. Plus what we see fits in perfectly with the time period this is set in. Let me tell you I had my big toenails removed by a Doctor and the pain was manageable only with a lot of numbing so to see that happen here to Beadle without that my toes curled up and I empathized with what he went through. This is the kind of writing and illustration that really gets the reader where it counts too. To feel that connected to what’s happening is a hallmark of an incredibly well written story.
I loved the way this issue progressed and the way the characters overcome their obstacles to persevere the way they do. Even when things look to be at their darkest good men will find a way to set things right and that is clearly evident here. The journey we’ve been taken on has been wonderful, as from the start the men of the Steam Man didn’t know if they would survive this but undertook it anyway. Sure I would have loved to learn how they created this Steam Man to begin with but that wasn’t necessary as it was more about these men and what they were striving to do and that came across until the very last page.
Part of me marvels at how this fictional story mirrors real life. The journey may be noble but the complete it one must face those obstacles placed in front of them and they may not always be what you expect them to be. No matter what you encounter you have the ability to overcome them and for better or for worse you’ll be changed by them. This has been a rare opportunity to see characters grow, change and evolve in ways that showcase what the human spirit is all about.