The pulp tale Fatale continues to mesmerize readers, and with the arrival of Fatale #7 by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips, Major Spoilers wants to know if the latest installment continues to spin a web of mystery and excitement, of if the book simply spins its wheels.
FATALE #7
Writer: Ed Brubaker
Artist: Sean Phillips
Colorist: Dave Stewart
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $3.50
Previously in Fatale: “In modern times, Nicolas Lash finds a clue leading to Josephine’s past, in Hollywood, right before his life explodes in violence again. And in 1970s Hollywood, a B-movie actor named Miles rescues his friend Suzy from a cult murder scene, and stumbles across Jo’s path, the estate in the hills where she’s kept herself hidden for nearly a decade…”
A CULT, A DAME, AND A HORROR FROM BEYOND!
One of the best things about the characters Ed Brubaker creates is that they don’t know when to leave well enough alone. After spending a night with Josephine, Miles is back on the streets, looking to make a score, sell a movie containing a death ritual performed by the Method Church, and maybe, just maybe get a book that Josephine seems to want really bad. Miles is that down on his luck actor who reminds me a lot of Thomas Jane’s character from Boogie Nights, mixed with equal parts Jim Rockford and Andy Richter… a guy who can’t get it together. When he’s tipped to a midnight mass lead by the cult’s leader, Miles can’t resist showing up. That’s when things go from bad situation to really bad situation.
Even though the blood letting is kept to a minimum, Mr. Brubaker delivers a chilling tale that had my heart racing as Josephine is found out, and the Leader returns to seek revenge for losing his eyes. The extra creepy cast of characters that populate Los Angeles in this tale make me partially glad I’m no longer living in the area, as Mr. Brubaker makes them even more intense and crazy than Manson. The cliffhanger moment happens at just the right time, as the issue doesn’t feel like it is being drawn out, and doesn’t feel like filler at all. Simply put, this is an excellent story.
JUST A LITTLE BLOOD
Sean Phillips’ hard shadows and composition make this issue feel like it was lifted from the 1970s. Though it doesn’t look like a comic from the time period, and the colors don’t reflect the Kodachrome look popular in movies of the time, Mr. Phillips has captured the feel of the period to make this issue sing. The scene in the cemetery gives me the jitters, and though we still don’t know what Josephine’s powers actually are, Mr. Phillips gives us that bit of mystical romance that works well set against the backdrop of death at the doorstep.
BOTTOM LINE: WHY ARE YOU NOT READING THIS?
There are few books that capture my attention from the get go. Atomic Robo, Locke and Key, and Fatale are books that I love to talk up, and am amazed when people say they don’t know what I’m talking about. Granted I’m usually hyped up on sugar at the time, and jumping out from the shadows jabbering non-stop does tend to put people off, but still… Fatale is a must read series, and Fatale #7 hits all the right notes, earning 5 out of 5 Stars.
