Night Fever HC Review

Posted on by Alan Taylor

(W) Ed Brubaker (a) Sean Phillips

The most consistently brilliant creative team in comics are back.

And again, they continue to break new ground, eschewing the traditional single issue format of release, and they serve us up a fully formed, original graphic novel.  And it may be a break from their excellent Reckless series, but it is every bit as engrossing and atmospheric as the adventures of Ethan Reckless.

I should also state, that I’m a big fan of listening to movie scores while reading books, and this just screamed the Blue Velvet soundtrack to me from the one and only Angelo Badalamenti.  Suffice to say, it was a marriage made in heaven.

In Europe on a business trip, Jonathan Webb can’t sleep. Instead, he finds himself wandering the night in a strange foreign city with his new friend, the mysterious and violent Rainer, as his guide. Rainer shows Jonathan the hidden world of the night, a world without rules or limits.

If I were to compare Night Fever to any of Brubaker & Phillips other work, it would be Fatale.  The reason being is that Night Fever doesn’t conform to any one genre.  It’s a voyeuristic thriller.  It has hints of the Supernatural.  It’s a mid life crisis story.  It’s a detective story.  It’s a murder mystery.  It’s a journey into the unknown.

And it’s utterly compelling.  Brubaker has always been a master of pacing, and keeping you turning the pages. There’s great character work here, with our point of view character (I hesitate to call him a protagonist given everything he gets up to in the book) perhaps the most flawed of all, and there’s an intriguing mystery that you just want to get to the bottom of.  You want to find out how deep the rabbit hole goes that Webb has fallen down, and you’re also unsure the whole way through if he will make it out.

Phillips art (that’s both Sean on pencils and Jacob on colours) is up there with the best work these guys have produced.  There are brilliant panel layouts, detailed characters, lush colours and dread and atmosphere dripping off of every page.

They paint a world beyond our own.  Not quite otherworldly, but definitely layers that only the rich and beautiful can access.  It evokes comparisons with Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut, another tale where we follow the woefully unprepared into the darkness, where their curiosity may just destroy them.

Given Reckless is Brubaker and Phillips current odyssey, Night Fever could easily be viewed as a lesser work.  A palate cleanser in between the arcs of Reckless, to reset and recharge the creative juices.  But it is absolutely nothing of the sort, and is arguably up there with the best work they have ever produced.  The sense of dread and tension falls off every page, and this is the type of book delivered by absolute masters of their craft.

Newburn #1 Review

Posted on by Alan Taylor

(W) Chip Zdarsky (A) Jacob Philips

Another case of following creators leads to another quality title.  We talk enough about Chip and Jacob at this point for you to recognise their names, though this is the first time they have worked together.  And they have kicked off with another strong title.

Newburn follows Easton Newburn, a retired cop. He now works as an investigator and problem solver for all of New York’s organized crime families while using their information to hand low-hanging fruit over to the NYPD.  It’s quite the tightrope for any character to walk, but it comes across as second nature to Easton.

In the first issue, Carmine Albano has been murdered in his apartment after stealing ten kilograms of cocaine from his own family. The evidence doesn’t clearly indicate anyone obvious, and a gang war and desperate grab for power may ensue if the murderer is not found. Before that can happen, Newburn is brought in to provide impartial clarity.  He is an investigator in the classic mould.  Sees details other may miss.  Won’t resort to violence quickly but not afraid to indulge when called upon.  He doesn’t have a horse in the game so doesn’t have any personal feelings towards any victims or suspects.

This is a police procedural, played straight and with interesting characters.  As we’d come to expect from the artist and co-creator of That Texas Blood, this is right in Jacob Phillips wheelhouse, and the art fits the store perfectly.

Another great title from Zdarsky as well, and a bit different from his normal work.  Another genre conquered by Chip?  Keep this up for the following issues and it may just be.

 

That Texas Blood #11 Review

Posted on by Alan Taylor

(W) Chris Condon (A) Jacob Phillips

Time for our monthly mention of one of Image’s very best ongoing titles…

When it comes to noir comics (one of my favourite genres), atmosphere is everything. Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips are the masters of this.  And Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips are fast becoming masters in their own right.  I mean, just look at the cover alone of this issue, dripping with atmosphere.

We are approaching the end of the second arc with issue 11, with Joe Bob and Eversaul locating and getting ready to confront the Cult of Night.  A thunderstorm rages; a couple of guys getting ready to do the right thing, when they should clearly wait for backup; a young girl in danger; a promise made by a man to a mother that he will save the child; a ticking clock.

All these tropes and staples are utilised, and because of how great the character work is, both from a writing and artistic viewpoint, we are invested.  We are genuinely fearing for these characters, and there may just not be a happy ending.

We’ve said it many times, but will happily say it again.  If you are not on this, you are missing out on one of the great modern comic runs.  Whatever these guys are working on, I’ll be picking it up day one every time.