JUST A PILGRIM: GARDEN OF EDEN #3
"1: Last Supper"
Highly Recommended (9/10)
|
Black Bull Entertainment
Writer: Garth Ennis
Artist: Carlos Ezquerra
Colors: Paul Mounts
Letters: Chris Eliopoulos
Editor: Jimmy Palmiotti
Price: $2.99 US/$4.49 CAN |
I can't put my finger on it, but ths Just a Pilgrim sequel has really captured my attention. Ennis's storytelling and characterization seems as sharp as ever, and this strikes me as the best work I've seen from Carlos Ezquerra. Ennis explores the nasty side of survival, but this time around, the story doesn't boast the same dry, arid vision of a post-apocalyptic world, making it much easier for the reader to relate to the supporting characters.
A Slider using the corpse of Maggy's father escapes with the child into the deepest recesses of the Marianas Trench, leaving the remaining survivors and would-be astronauts/pioneers broken-hearted. The Pilgrim's attempt to help them survive long enough to launch is not well received, and Chris comes to loathe -- and understand -- the Pilgrim a little more.
Equerrz's work has always been gritty and textured, and those strengths in his work seem even moreso in this book. He sets the Pilgrim apart from the other characters visually, just as Ennis does emotionally. He seems strong, yes, but also has a spent, husk-like quality to him. The other characters look brighter. Despite their fear and despair, they haven't witnessed nearly as much insanity and horror as the Pilgrim has, and Ezquerra -- as well as Mounts -- provides visual cues that say as much.
It seems to me that Chris, the woman who so hates the Pilgrim, doesn't really hate him for the reasons she claims, even if she believes them. Ennis hasn't just crafted a group of characters in this book; he's presented the reader with a community. That bond shines through, and I think that Chris resents the Pilgrim because her community needs him. They were already accomplished scientists and did well to survive, but the fact that they can't make it the rest of the way without someone like the Pilgrim -- a loner who belongs in no community -- is aggravating.
Ultimately, I think what's most entertaining and intriguing about this book is how Ennis makes room for both the civilized and savage sides of humanity as being key strengths. Science and heart play important roles in this story, making for a balanced and interesting story.
Email Don MacPherson comments about this review, or discuss it on the Fourth Rail message board.
|
