Will Eisner’s the Spirit: The Corpse Maker #2
Dynamite Entertainment 2017
By Francesco Francavilla
It started like a very ordinary investigative case for the Spirit, but just when he seemed to have it all figured out, the tale took an unexpected turn to reveal a larger criminal plan at work.
Will Denny Colt find a way out or will this end up with a BANG?
One of the oldest characters still in circulation the Spirit has this presence and air about him that have made fans out of countless generations. Not surprisingly Francavilla is able to keep the memory of the character alive and well and as vibrant today as he was when he debuted. It’s no coincidence that this character along with The Shadow and possibly the Crimson Avenger are still known by audiences today. The way these men operate in basically nothing more than a suit with a mask relying upon their own fighting skills, keen wit and sharp minds have made them easily relatable to and inherently fascinating. Not to mention have inspired some of the modern world’s greatest franchises like James Bond.
What Francavilla does with this book and this story is remind us not only of how our greatest legends were born but shows us that really the human spirit, the mind and some good old fashioned ingenuity are all you really need to be not only the best you can be but to influence the world around you accordingly.
Everything about this to me screams Pulp and while it’s a modern comic it has those elements to it through the storytelling, interior artwork and the overall presentation that make it kind of an instant throwback classic. Granted there aren’t many instances to shadow some bank robbers, burst through an old warehouse window and subdue the bad guys anymore but this is the stuff guys dream of growing up, and sometimes having never grown up.
The introduction of Marlowe and that angle of the story ups the intrigue factor and how the paths will cross with The Spirit and his investigation remains to be seen but I have to say this is the stuff, coincidence hah I think not, that happens and flows as naturally as the course of the Mississippi river.
With his blue suit, red tie, hat and mask the iconic look of the Spirit and his faithful sidekick E.B. White will never go out of style. I love that what we see on the pages here is that stylized version where you don’t need to detail every ounce of every panel and page to create the effect that is needed to enjoy this story. This will be one of the very few instances where I say backgrounds aren’t needed as much because the way he uses the page layouts is simply perfect as it is.
Good old fashioned detective work that has to be done without the aid of computers or smartphones really challenge the way we see and think. It wasn’t all that long ago when computers were still science fiction and in their infancy a far off dream. So seeing someone having to rely upon himself to get the job done, figure it out using deduction and logic well it’s really does take me back to my childhood.
There’s everything in the world to love about the style, sophistication and execution of this book.
Dynamite Entertainment 2017
By Francesco Francavilla
It started like a very ordinary investigative case for the Spirit, but just when he seemed to have it all figured out, the tale took an unexpected turn to reveal a larger criminal plan at work.
Will Denny Colt find a way out or will this end up with a BANG?
One of the oldest characters still in circulation the Spirit has this presence and air about him that have made fans out of countless generations. Not surprisingly Francavilla is able to keep the memory of the character alive and well and as vibrant today as he was when he debuted. It’s no coincidence that this character along with The Shadow and possibly the Crimson Avenger are still known by audiences today. The way these men operate in basically nothing more than a suit with a mask relying upon their own fighting skills, keen wit and sharp minds have made them easily relatable to and inherently fascinating. Not to mention have inspired some of the modern world’s greatest franchises like James Bond.
What Francavilla does with this book and this story is remind us not only of how our greatest legends were born but shows us that really the human spirit, the mind and some good old fashioned ingenuity are all you really need to be not only the best you can be but to influence the world around you accordingly.
Everything about this to me screams Pulp and while it’s a modern comic it has those elements to it through the storytelling, interior artwork and the overall presentation that make it kind of an instant throwback classic. Granted there aren’t many instances to shadow some bank robbers, burst through an old warehouse window and subdue the bad guys anymore but this is the stuff guys dream of growing up, and sometimes having never grown up.
The introduction of Marlowe and that angle of the story ups the intrigue factor and how the paths will cross with The Spirit and his investigation remains to be seen but I have to say this is the stuff, coincidence hah I think not, that happens and flows as naturally as the course of the Mississippi river.
With his blue suit, red tie, hat and mask the iconic look of the Spirit and his faithful sidekick E.B. White will never go out of style. I love that what we see on the pages here is that stylized version where you don’t need to detail every ounce of every panel and page to create the effect that is needed to enjoy this story. This will be one of the very few instances where I say backgrounds aren’t needed as much because the way he uses the page layouts is simply perfect as it is.
Good old fashioned detective work that has to be done without the aid of computers or smartphones really challenge the way we see and think. It wasn’t all that long ago when computers were still science fiction and in their infancy a far off dream. So seeing someone having to rely upon himself to get the job done, figure it out using deduction and logic well it’s really does take me back to my childhood.
There’s everything in the world to love about the style, sophistication and execution of this book.
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