In the past couple of years, it's become quite apparent that there is much more to this series than the simple gimmick of random people being given the chance at revenge. In fact, it's clear that it's not random at all, that the premise is a means for various mysterious factions to further their plans and conspiracies. Azzarello has crafted a challenging, multi-layered property here, one that may leave one scratching one's head at times, but always entertains.
But damn... sometimes I just miss some of the more straightforward storylines and how they explore the ugly side of America. So far, "Chill in the Oven" is fulfilling that wish, taking the reader into a culture of pain, fear and hate within America's prisons.
Loop Hughes is in big trouble. Not only has he recently sent one of the biggest bad-asses in the prison to the infirmary, inviting a guaranteed relatiation, Lono, the ferocious agent of the Trust, has landed in the cell next to his. Lono is a loose cannon, an animal unlike any other to end up behind bars, and there's no telling how he will disturb Loop's world... and how soon before he brings it all to an end. Meanwhile, Lono finds his own unique way to make his mark among the cons.
Risso's rich, shadowy art seems like it was tailor-made for bringing this filthy concrete and steel setting to life. It's not surprise how well he captures the harsh quality of the cons and guards alike. Like Frank Miller does in Sin City, Risso allows shadow and color to define a greater number of scenes, not simple and traditional linework alone. I was struck by the shower scene, where we see a pool of warm, dark blood pouring forth from one con's face while veins of water spread out over Loop's back, defined only by a cool, muted blue. In Mulvihill, Risso has found a colorist who really complements his dark, intense style.
Loop and Lono make for polar opposites in this issue. Loop is liked and respected by just about every con, and what enemies he does have are few. Lono, on the other hand, is an outsider, and he likes it that way. Unlike the other cons, he thrives alone, and he's able to do so because of his seemingly inhuman strength and his cold view of those around him.
Loop's fear and desperation here is palpable. He stands in the showers, while other cons stand up to Lono, though it proves to be ultimately futile. Loop is a defeated man, and all it took was Lono's arrival. It isn't until the end of the issue that Loop realizes that Lono may be incredibly strong, but that there are different kinds of strengths, different kinds of adventages. This is a riveting and tense tale, and its seeming distance from the conspiracy plots of the Trust and Agent Graves's rogue faction is a nice change of pace.
