It's been a while since I caught up with the intrigue and action in New Orleans that unfolds regularly in the pages of The Victorian. My past experiences with the book let me know there was a great deal of potential in the property, but I found the scripts to be rather inaccessible, even with a full page of exposition at the beginning of every issue. Here, the story finally breaks through that barrier, and I find I'm far more interested in what's going on. The art tells the story clearly, but I think a darker look is called for here to reinforce the tension and intrigue rather than the conventional super-hero style that dominates the book.
Laszlo Gerevich, otherwise known as the mysterious crimefighter called the Victorian, has finally uncovered the identity under which his old enemy has been hiding in New Orleans, and he sets out to learn what Claude Ballare's plans are. Unfortunately, the Victorian discovers that among his enemy's assets is one of the hero's own allies. Meanwhile, Lily White approaches Ballare's fragile daughter, Aden, and shares some uncomfortable truths with her, and in Washington, the government becomes aware that the strength of U.S. currency is being threatened by what's going on in the Big Easy.
St. Aubin does an excellent job of bringing exotic settings -- both realistic and fantastic ones -- to life in this series, and his panel layouts tend to be inventive while still moving the story along at an appropriate pace. This is a dialogue-heavy book, but the art is never too overpowered by the lettering. Where the art lets the reader down, though, is in its depiction of the title character. The top hat and clunky armor fail to cast the chaarcter in an intimdating light. Instead, he looks rather silly and encumbered by his apparel.
Wein achieves a nice balance between the more adventurous and fantastic qualities and the more grounded ones. The writer brings credibility to the story with the police procedural elements and a brief focus on the political reaction and fallout to the central plotlines.
Where this title succeeds the most is in eliciting memories of and favorable comparisons to The Shadow. The title character is appropriately enigmatic, and I love that he's gathered together operatives to aid him in his efforts to combat evil. There's a sense of the classic to the character, reinforced by the historical and cultural elements that play such important roles in the story.
Note: This comic book was not among this week's new releases.
