Metal Hurlant fills an important role in comics today. It exposes American audiences to European talent, using the lure of popular U.S. writers. It was a pleasure to see a wide variety of visuals styles, not to mention a variety of atmosphere, style and genre in the writing, but ultimately, the stories left me flat. The reasons for my slight disinterest in the book are as varied as the styles and stories, but there are just as many strengths to be found here as well. It's one of the risks with anthologies: the chances of stumbling upon strong work are as good as finding something that's not to the reader's taste.
Jodorowsky and Hojgaard's story, "The Guilt," is a parable, and the message is clear: don't let the bastards get you down. There's actually a little bit more to it than that, as the writer points out that we limit ourselves with our own perspectives and expectations. The story's a bit overwrought, though, and oversimplified. Of course, that's a limitation of the short format that the anthology offers. Hojgaard's work here reminded me a little of the style of Silver Age artist Ramona Fradon, but with a darker, grittier tone. Hojgaard brings out the protagonist's bliddfull ignorance quite well here.
Macdonald's "Second Chances" is typical sci-fi fare with an atypical ending that's not at all in keeping with the overall tone of the script. Joe, a space-trucker (space-trucker?), is a rogue who lets a gambling debt and a beautiful, scantily clad woman draw him into a foolish, death-defying heist, with unexpected consequences. Lucas's artwork here is detailed, but it doesn't boast the same polish as what we've come to expect from him. The plot and characters are just too derivative to spark my interest.
"Worship Service" leaves the science-fiction riff behind, and is the only story in the book to do so. Instead, it delves into horror. It's a somewhat predictable story that, again, might have been more effective with more room to establish suspense, atmosphere and characters. Igor David's rough style might work for dark, slice-of-life stories that one might find in indy books, but his squat figures don't serve this story all that well, and the colors consist of a blanet of browns, for the most part.
"Megalex," the title's ongoing feature, boasts the slickest, most impressive visuals of the book. Beltran's almost photo-realistic artwork is stunning. It's a shame, though, that Jodorowsky really doesn't fill new readers in on all of the details they need to pick up on the narrative. The sexual overtones of the piece strike me as a bit on the gratuitous side as well.
Still, the book serves as an interesting study of a variety of storytelling approaches, both visual and conceptual. Some scripts are lofty, some raw, and among the various stories and art styles, there's bound to some that any reader can appreciate.
Note: This comic book was not among this week's new releases.
