Disclaimer: All of the comics reviewed in this column were either comped by the respective creators/companies, or purchased from Dr. Volts Comics in Salt Lake City.
BIFF! BANG!! POW … WOW!!!
By Jerk-Bot
FATALE (monthly series, Image Comics, $3.50)
WHO’S RESPONSIBLE? Ed Brubaker (writer), Sean Phillips, artist and letterer); Elizabeth Breitweiser and Dave Stewart (colorists).
VELVET (monthly series, Image Comics, $3.50)
WHO’S RESPONSIBLE? Ed Brubaker (writer), Steve Epting (artist); Elizabeth Breitweiser (colorist), Chris Eliopolis (letterer).
There are those comics fans (yours truly included) who believe Ed Brubaker’s years-long, high-espionage-flavored run on Marvel’s monthly “Captain America” series to be among the best-ever for that particular character.
And on a completely different note, he penned crime noir-inspired takes on established DC Comics characters — “Catwoman,” on which he teamed with artists Darwyn Cooke, Michael Allred, Cameron Stewart and others; and “Gotham Central,” a “police procedural” series that followed the GCPD’s human detectives . Both were refreshing breaths of air in the (at the time) somewhat stuffy, stale Batman universe.
After more than a decade working for the comics industry’s Big Two publishers, though, Brubaker has returned to his independent comics roots with two different, creator-owned titles for Image Comics. “Fatale,” a horror/noir narrative, re-teams Brubaker and artist Sean Phillips, with whom he worked on DC/Vertigo’s “Sleeper,” as well as the noir “Criminal” and “Incognito” mini-series, for Marvel’s Icon line.
Now winding up its fourth story arc, the series (mostly) follows Josephine, a mysterious woman who appears to bring doom to the many men who are drawn to her.
Most recent issues have found Josephine entangled with the male members of a Seattle-based rock band that, under her sway, has turned to robbery and hiding a couple of accidental deaths that have happened while she’s been with them. (It’s set firmly and confidently in the Grunge Era, a time period that’s quite familiar to Brubaker, who lived in the Pacific Northwest at the time.)
“Velvet” sees Brubaker working again with artist Steve Epting, the primary artist for much of his “Captain America” run. The first issue was introduces us to Velvet Templeton, the personal secretary of the head of a British spy agency. Velvet has become the prime suspect in the death of an agent with whom she was once personally involved.
THE GOOD.
“Fatale” sees Brubaker and Phillips sprucing up their now-familiar noir ideas with Lovecraftian horror. Also the previous story arcs have all been set in various time periods and settings, among them World War II-era Europe and the Wild West.
And what else can be said about Phillips, one of the more unsung artists working in the industry? He’s capable of depicting all said time periods convincingly, and with a smidgen of realism. (His painted covers are a thing of beauty as well, museum-quality works that set the proper mood for each issue in only one image.)
Similarly, Epting eschews the comics industry’s showy visual style for a grittier, more realistic one. That makes the title character’s action in the first issue even more spectacular, and he really knows how to stage shoot-out and escape scenes.
THE BAD.
Since Brubaker and Phillips are so intent on concentrating on “Fatale,” we haven’t gotten any further installments in either “Criminal” or the darkly super heroic “Incognito.” Also, for some, the horror trappings might be a bit too much.
And it’s too early to tell if “Velvet” will be as memorable and as thrilling as Brubaker and Epting’s “Captain America,” especially the first two years’ worth of stories. Unfortunately, they have a lot to live up to there.
THE UGLY.
Those who are familiar with noir already know that its tales are almost depressingly bleak and dark (the very definition of “noir,” obviously). And the book is not afraid to explore the depths of human (and inhuman) depravity. It’s not pretty to look at much of the time, despite Phillips’ efforts to make the lead character as Siren-like as possible.
And Epting clearly uses models or familiar faces for character references. That means some of the “Velvet” characters do bear unfortunate resemblances to other Epting character “takes.” (Velvet’s boss looks a lot like Cap villain Doctor Faustus, while the murder victim appears to be played by Lee Majors, especially on the first issue cover.)
IN CONCLUSION.
While it was sad to see Brubaker leave Marvel and DC, because his was a truly original voice for both companies, you have to applaud him for striking out on his own, and bringing along some of his most trusted, talented cohorts with him.
“Velvet” is off to a very-promising, intriguing start, and “Fatale” only seems to be getting better as it goes. If you’re a Brubaker (or Phillips, or Epting) fan, or if you’re a fan of noir, spy/espionage thrillers and/or horror, there are few if any better examples of them being published anywhere in comics these days.
Jerk-bot, better known in human form as Jeff Michael Vice, can be heard reviewing films, television programs, comics, books, music and other things as part of The Geek Show Podcast (www.thegeekshowpodcast.com), as well as be seen reviewing films as part of Xfinity’s Big Movie Mouth-Off (www.facebook.com/BigMovieMouthOff).