Is there any writer more proficient in comics today than Brian Wood? He has projects coming from DC, Oni Press, AiT/Planet Lar and Image, all at the same time. He's proven himself to be an excellent designer, a solid writer of both episodic, self-contained, ongoing and graphic novel formats, and he seems to hit it out of the park with every time at bat. All this, and he's not even writing a single book in the industry's most dominant genre, super-heroes. And he manages to turn heads with artists who boast unconventional comic-art styles, and never moreso than he does here, with Toby Cypress. As is often the case with Wood's work, it isn't the plotting that grabs the reader's attention here, but the incredibly strong characterization. This graphic novel is all about the characters, as the book opens with a flashforward of what to expect toward the end.
A rugged, tough yet handsome American wanders into a coastal village in Scotland, and it doesn't take him long before he catches the eye of the small community's most eligible bachelorette, a single mother named Julie. But the stranger, who goes simply by Moss, has a different sort of conquest in mind for his visit to the unassuming hamlet. He's hidden something on the base of one of the pillars of the nearby oil rig, and he takes a job on board to ensure no one stumbles onto his secret. Julie preoccupies his thoughts more and more, and he soon comes to see as much more than a carnal diversion during his time among the Scottish strangers.
Cypress's approach to the line art is borderline surrealist, but it works. It reminds me of a cross between the styles of Paul (100%) Pope and Scott (Southpaw) Morse. His Picasso-esque, sketchy style somehow conveys the rugged good looks of the hero/villain of the story and the pristine beauty of the love interest. Given the loose, unusual quality of his style, the level of realism he captures in the oil rig setting is more than a little impressive. I'm also impressed with his depiction of the brief action sequences.
This graphic novel has a lot going for it, not the least of which is the attractive price point. Ten bucks for a full graphic novel? Nice. Wood offers an accessible story. The story isn't overly complex, but he still manages to instil a certain level of mystery. We know Moss is up to no good and keeps some unpleasant from time to time, but Wood hides Moss's objective from the audience. It doesn't create tension in the story -- the real conflict lies in what Moss will eventually decide regarding Julie and her daughter -- but that tinge of mystery adds to the drama nicely.
Moss is not a nice man. We see him commit murder, and he doesn't just target other bad guys for death. He's a criminal, and he looks out for Number One. Nevertheless, Wood's script allows the reader to see him as a human being. He's a bastard, yes, but he's not utterly evil. He's flawed, and it's easy to see elements of oneself in the rogue. In some ways, he's even a likeable character, because he's smart, resourceful and even charming. 9/10
