Neal Shaffer is a talent from whom we don't hear from nearly often enough in the world of comics, and it's a pleasure to see him back telling another unusual but captivating story with Oni Press. This first in what I assume is a series of original graphic novels is all about setting up the premise, and it's effective not only at achieving that but in exploring the characters and themes at the heart of the story. On his blog, Randy Lander described this book as having a Twilight Zone feel, and it's an apt categorization. But Shaffer isn't aiming for a twist ending or dramatic revelation. Instead, this is about the people, not the plot. The sketchy artwork captures the nature of the alternative setting nicely, but the book's greatest strength is the somewhat vague quality in the storytelling that keeps the reader guessing about almost every facet of the story.
Taylor Devlin's life is just about perfect. He has a terrific girlfriend, a nice home that he shares with her and a job he enjoys. His latest assignment as a freelance journalist requires a trip aboard a freighter bound for the Bermuda Triangle. He's told to expect an uneventful trip, and as a skeptic, that's exactly what he'd planned for. But after the ship encounters a storm and he's thrown about the vessel like a ragdoll, Taylor awakens to a different world. The ship is abandoned, but he rescued by a mysterious helicopter crew. Once on dry land, Taylor discovers everything is as he remembered... but it's also completely different. The life he knew is over. But what comes next?
Infurnari's art suits the tone of the story quite well. His sketchy approach doens't sacrifice definition, and the rougher edges really serve the pot well when we follow Taylor into the other world. The greytones add a considerably level of depth to the visuals as well, reinforcing a more realistic feel. Those greytones allow the artist to flesh out the characters' faces a lot too.
Shaffer hints at this story being set in the not-too-distant past but he doesn't overtly commit to it either. I found it significant that Taylor, as a man who makes his living as a writer, uses a notebook, not a laptop computer. Furthermore, there seems to be no reference to global positioning technology on the ship. The whole book boasts a timeless quality that's subtly intriguing.
I think what I find most interesting about the story is that Taylor isn't the only one who finds himself in a sort of limbo, and I'm not referring to the other exiled characters he encounters. His girlfriend is lost as well. She may be in the "real" world, but she's a victim of tragedy as well. In a way, her fate is worse. At least Taylor is aware of what's occurred and has challenges he can face; he can move forward. She, on the other hand, is completely in the dark; all she has is her loss. She's trapped in an emotional purgatory. 8/10
Note: This graphic novel was not among this week's new releases.
