Creepy glimpse into the mind of a killer
When I first learned about Zenescope Entertainment’s Se7en miniseries based on the film of the same name, my first thought was, “How can you make a good comic book based on a movie that we already know everything about? What else is there to learn?” How about the background of those victims of the Seven Deadly Sins?
Q: What is the difference between a dead dog in the road, and a dead lawyer in the road?
A: There are skid marks in front of the dead dog.
Eli Gould is the type of scummy lawyer that inspire jokes like that to be written. Gould makes millions of dollars each year, helping murderers, rapists and drug dealers go free, and John Doe knows the sin of Greed can not go unpunished.
In the movie, the only information we have about the victim is that he was a lawyer. Even though we know the outcome, the comic gives us the back story on who these people really were. While we may have felt sympathy for the victims in the film, after reading these issues, those feelings may change.
Via flashbacks, we learn Gould is only interested in manipulating the law to suit his clients, who in turn pay large fees to stay out of jail. He has no qualms about kicking a sick family out of their apartment so the landlord can renovate and rent at a higher price. At every event, John Doe is there. Do even goes so far as to ask Gould to represent him pro bono in a ploy to see if redemption is possible.
When he is turned down, John’s goal is clear – hide in a supply closet until everyone at the firm has left and then exact justice. We know the ending; John Doe forces Gould to cut a pound of his own flesh from his body as penance.
Before you read this issue, be warned; there are some very graphic images throughout. They are not done for shock value only, but rather to aid in the storytelling. One of the best things about the art is the way the identity of John Doe is hidden to keep the mystery of the original film.
The story is straightforward and fleshes out the events in the movie (no pun intended). Through narration and reading John’s journal entries, the reader gets keen insight into the mind of a killer. It is disturbing and creepy, and after reading the issue, makes me want to go back and watch the movie again.
If you really want to delve deeper into the Se7en story, this miniseries doesn’t disappoint – especially if you are reading it on Halloween. Overall I give this issue a solid 3 Stars.
Se7en: Greed hits stores in November.
