Life ain't fair. The Appalachian town of New York Hills is living proof of that. Once, it was a town of smiling neighbors, Sunday picnics, and hardworking, coal-mining families; but now, it's a poor, dying, forgotten place. The coal has gone. The factories are gone. The schools are closed, and hope is in short supply. To down-on-his-luck country boy, Joe Chamberlain, New York Hills is more than a forgotten, sunken place: it's a trap - a trap that he'd do anything for his family to be able to escape. That type of desperation is a spark that can start a fire that burns the world down. Hell can smell that desperation from a universe away. And it has. And it's coming for Joe...Coming with an offer he can't refuse.
Justin Jordan kills on this supernatural scorcher from DC Comics, The Curse of Brimstone! Jordan starts out by introducing us to a protagonist so realistic and human that it is nearly impossible for the reader not to empathize with him, to share his frustration, pain, and his desperation. We all know the situation of so many in Appalachia and the widespread lack and poverty due to an absence of economic opportunity. Justin Jordan gives that pain life and a voice on the page. Joe is a good ole boy, not an angel, but certainly no devil. Joe pines for the good ole days, longs for better days, and better ways to keep his family taken care of. That desperation is so powerful that something evil, ancient, and dark has caught its scent, and it is heading straight for New York Hills and Joe Chamberlain. Neither the town nor Joe will ever be the same. It's a great premise with a deeply human protagonist in a realistic world filled with a supporting cast that Justin Jordan really takes his time to flesh out well before getting into the supernatural elements of the tale that are teased in the fiery, gut-punch of a first page. However, it's the very subtle, well-articulated social commentary woven into the story that really makes it shine for me. It's in the low places - the places brought down by lack of economic opportunity, poverty, crime, and illegal narcotics trafficking and addiction - that the flames of desperation are fanned highest. It's these places - places where hope runs low, and frustration runs high - that are the most vulnerable to religious charlatans, lying politicians, radical rabble-rousers, and all manner of con-men, who promise them what they most desire. This book exposes that very human vulnerability without vilifying it, and without turning away from the consequences of its gratification. The Curse of Brimstone is effective in its delivery of its moral: there is always a price, and sometimes, you're not the only one who has to pay. I totally dig it. Philip Tan's art shows shades of John Totleben's pencils on The Saga of Swamp Thing - sketchy, but refined, and darkly atmospheric. Love it.
And now...
So, let's deal with it. Brimstone is very reminiscent of Marvel's Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze) in some ways - from his origin (a dark deal for the right reasons) to his fiery powers and blazing appearance. I could be totally wrong, but it looks like DC is streaming out new heroes that are updates and possibly, improvements on Marvel characters. The Terrifics = The Fantastic Four; The Silencer = The Punisher; Sideways = Spider-Man; Damage = The Hulk, etc.. Each seems a tiny bit derivative, but they are so well-written that I have enjoyed most of the New Age of Heroes debuts, and I am becoming more excited about where this is all going with each new first issue that I read. Pretty sneaky, DC...And pretty awesome.
RATING: 10 out of 10.
No comments:
Post a Comment