She's a private detective whose adventures have been serialized on the Web. But to her enemies, She's A Nightmare.
Randy:
She's a Nightmare is an example of a dream project, as creator Jesse Chen took his shot at creating a comic back in March, first on the web and now in a printed edition of those comics.
Don:
This is an unusual package from an independent talent... an 80-page graphic novel, in full color, no less, with a cover by a noted mainstream artist, Walt Simonson. The creator's enthusiasm shines through in the script, but it's hindered by some odd logic in the plotting.
She's A Nightmare
published by High Aims.Comix
written & illustrated by Jesse Chen
edited by Charlie Boatner
Don:
A controversial but dedicated doctor is on the brink of finding a cure for a terminal disease, but a group of mercenaries has been hired to hijack her work for profit. A hacker working with the doctor contacts a couple of friends to help out: Lydia LaMorn, a private investigator of remarkable physical and intellectual skill, and her friend on the police force, Chris.
Randy:
This is a crime/adventure comic, so it should be right up my alley, and I did enjoy it, but I had some reservations as well. Chen seems unsure at times what the tone of the book is going to be, whether it's going to be adventure for young readers, hard-boiled crime, funny, serious, tragic... the conflicting tones and styles make for a somewhat disjointed read.
Don:
I agree that the shifts in tone are a bit of a problem, but what I found more distracting were a lack of logic on the part of a number of characters who are made out to be savvy and dangerous professionals. The same characters keep meeting each other in the same places. Neither the protagonists nor the antagonists seem to be able to outthink the others for very long.
Randy:
The central story in this book is about a doctor working on a cure for the fictional S.K.O.D.D. virus, and Lydia LaMorn and friends get involved in trying to protect her from a greedy drug mogul. It's not exactly kids' stuff, but at times Chen's approach reads that way. The goofy nicknames for the villains (Knives, Scope) and heroes (Hacker Jones) make them hard to take seriously, and given that it's an obvious analogue to the AIDS virus, I wasn't sure why Chen decided to make it a fictional virus instead. It all comes off as trying to soften the darker elements of the story, which I think was a mistake. The same is true of the occasional slapstick comedy and the half-hearted bickering between Lydia and her associates.
Don:
Well, I would imagine the virus in question isn't called AIDS because the plot revolves around the fact that a cure has been found, so it makes sense that Chen would be sensitive to that fact. Nevertheless, the veil is far too thin here.
Randy:
While I found the book flawed, I also found plenty to like. Though it was goofy, the "lightsaber fight" was a clever and funny bit, and it had a great finale. Also, while I thought Lydia LaMorn's "nightmare" reputation wasn't really shown as effectively as it could be, her rather brutal interrogation method of the desk clerk was a good demonstration of just why she's gotten her fearsome reputation. In addition, the artwork throughout is pretty strong; Chen has good basic storytelling styles, and occasionally gets a little flashy as well.
Don:
You're right; one has to give credit where credit is due. Chen's artwork is clear and nicely detailed. One really gets a sense of the urban setting, and despite a large cast of characters, it's not hard to keep track of everyone. Lydia's reputation is reinforced by te confidence and single-mindedness with which she carries herself. The colors are muted rather than garish as well.
Randy:
She's a Nightmare is a first effort for a new creator, and as such, it's got some rough patches and some conflicting elements that keep it from coming together completely as it should. However, this is an interesting first story arc for a comic that continues online, and I suspect that the strength of the book will continue to grow as Chen's experience and skills do.
For more information on She's A Nightmare or to read some of the webcomic, visit
