Francesco Francavilla’s critically acclaimed The Black Beetle volume 1: No Way Out from Dark Horse Comics is now available. The graphic novel collects the entire No Way Out story into a hard cover format for the first time; and the story is spectacular. The marriage of image and story in comics is rarely this perfect. The book is a creation of Francavilla’s that is all his own. The illustrations are not only done in his classical pulp noir style, but the story is built from the ground up by Francavilla as a pulp noir mystery. That makes the collected edition so much better because the mystery can be enjoyed in one big serving.
The Black Beetle is a character who is part super-hero, part man of action, and part Continental Op. He is the protector in the shadows of Colt City. The story starts with Black Beetle protecting a museum curator and her archeological treasures from machine-gun wielding Nazi’s with jetpacks. Gun play and intrigue ensue as Francavilla’s hero investigates his way in and out of trouble. Most of the time he’s saved by the use of some amazing gadgets created in the noir era of the 1930’s & 40’s but clearly based on modern technology. You will not be alone in comparing the gadgets to Dick Tracy, Inspector Gadget, James Bond and a Navy Seal.
That’s not to say that the story isn’t firmly grounded in storytelling. The use of the gadgets and action isn’t a cheap trick to make up for an uninteresting story. It is instead part of the fun and flavor to an already exciting thriller. The Black Beetle puts the puzzle together through detective work in sewers and in night clubs. The smoky lounge scene when the band plays and the canary sings are spectacularly done. The music is drawn in a way that gives the visual a sense of sound. As you read along, you’ll swear you can smell bourbon and tobacco. Francavilla’s pencils and colors create and then draw you into his world like few others can.
The book’s foreword is by the amazing Darwyn Cooke and there are 19 pages of additional content in the back. That many extras with a total page count at 152 is not something you always see at the 20 dollar price point. For anyone who likes a little sampling before they jump in, there is a nice sized preview after the solicit below. For any additional Fracesco Francavilla art check out his page here. To tell me I talk about Francesco Francavilla too much, go ahead and leave a comment or send me a tweet @MarkAvo.
Writer & Artist: Francesco Francavilla
Cover Artist: Francesco Francavilla
Genre: Superhero, Crime, Action/Adventure
Publication Date: October 16, 2013
Format: FC, 152 Pages; HC, 7″ x 10″
Price: $19.99
