Two-in-One Review: Rex Mundi Paris, the City of Lights. But it is also a city with a chilling, dark, supernatural side. We know, because the creators behind Rex Mundi told us so. Don: In recent years, Image Comics has been transformed into something of a training ground, a publishing banner under which comics creators with new approaches to storytelling can sell their unconventional wares in a more prominent corner of the marketplace. You may have seen some of them... The Red Star, Defiance. And now, another name joins their ranks: Rex Mundi. Randy: I've been reading the online incarnation of Rex Mundi, Brother Matthew, for some time, and I've long been awaiting this translation into print. Though Rex Mundi #0 isn't due until August, Don and I had a chance to take a look at a full-color preview recently. Rex Mundi #0 published by Image Comics/Shrunken Head Studios written by Arvid Nelson illustrated by Eric J colored by Jeromy Cox Don: In a church in Paris is a secret library of ancient histories and various documents that the Catholic Church has entrusted into the care of a lone priest. When one of those ancient treasures is stolen, the priest turns to his friend Dr. Saulniere for help. Saulniere investigates, and soon discovers something far more grave than the theft of an antiquity. The Rex Mundi creators offer up some detective fiction, but it's unlike what one might usually see as a detective story. There's a delicious film-noir quality to the story and the art, but it's mixed in with gothic design and plot elements as well. Saulniere is an enigmatic but enticing character... like Sam Spade, Fox Mulder and Hercule Poirot merged into one stoic form. The overall tone of the book puts me in mind of The Exorcist III, albeit without the scepticism on the part of the protagonist. Randy: Don has hit the nail on the head with his description of the tone of Rex Mundi, and it's what drew me to the book in the first place. I'm a fan of the noir mystery, but Nelson has mixed in supernatural overtones to his pulp style detective story, and the result is a less action-oriented and more haunting style for the story. Saulniere is unlikely to pull out a revolver and chase down his quarry; he's a thinking man's protagonist, and that focus on intellectual rather than physical prowess makes the dark and dangerous road he's walking a little more threatening, and a lot more interesting. Don: The greatest strength of the book is easily the art... or to be more specific, the backgrounds. The detail is stunning, almost photo-realistic. The artists carry the reader to Paris in the middle of the night, and they drench the old stonework in an inky, creeping darkness that reinforces the mysterious and foreboding mood established in the script. The colors are crisp, but they never intrude on that darkness. In fact, they add to it. Randy: I definitely agree here. Eric J paints a picture of a Paris that didn't exist, but it's easy to believe that it did. The gothic shapes of the city are part of it, but I'm also drawn to the realistic clothing, lighting and architecture that makes up the building blocks of the setting. The character work is equally stunning, as the shame of the Father or the determined curiosity of Saulniere comes through very clearly, and there's a jaw-dropping double page spread that establishes the grisly fate of one of Saulniere's potential sources of information. Full credit should also go to colorist Jeromy Cox, who manages the balancing act of creating a dark mood without simply making the colors oppressive and burying the art in black ink. Don: The plot proceeds at a slow pace, but it suits the tone of the story. The crawling buildup adds to the haunted, cursed tone of the dialogue and story. There's an intelligent tone in the script, but there's also a tension to be found there as well. Randy: Nelson's script builds tension much the same way filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan does, creating horror less with what he shows and more with the sense of disquiet that pervades the story, as if something horrific could happen at any minute. I also appreciated the relationship that he implies between the two lead characters, almost more like that of a pair of colleagues than that of a pair of friends, but still remarkably deep. If I have a complaint, it's that this #0 issue is merely a teaser, rather than a complete story, which is dangerous when a series guarantee hasn't been made, but with a cliffhanger like this, I can't imagine many people not coming back for the next issue. Promising mystery, magic, a fascinating setting and strong creative talent, Rex Mundi could easily be the next success story for Image. For more information on Rex Mundi, as well as chapters of Brother Matthew, visit Shrunken Head Studios. Email Randy and Don comments about this review, or discuss it on the Fourth Rail message board.