It's been a long time since we saw a self-contained issue of this series, and the strong focus on a single character here was really engaging. My interest in this book hasn't waned a single bit since it began four years ago, and that's a testament to the writing of Brian K. Vaughan. The writer bridges cultural divides for his readership in this issue as he explores a young woman who has been broken time and time again by the selfishness of the people she's loved and who were meant to love her just as much in return. The artwork of occasional fill-in artist Goran Sudzuka captures the main character's vulnerability incredibly well, and the muted color palette drives home the unfortunate, even depressing tone of the story in an effective yet subtle manner.
Dr. Allison Mann has had a tough life when it comes to relationships. Her latest lover turned out to be a spy, and the one before that ended up confessing her love in a delirious haze for the last man on the planet. But her bad luck predates the eradication of the male species. She was faced with the knowledge at an early age that her father was not an honorable man. After her family moved to America, she felt abandoned by her parents, and at the end of college, the only sexual relationship she'd ever known disappeared, evaporated as though it were nothing more than an illusion. Allison Mann has known rage and defiance all her life, but now, she's learning about pain and fear.
Goran Sudzuka employs soft, curved lines to bring the characters to life, and that softness in his style communicates the fragility of the figures. That fragile surface then represents the fragile nature of the person within as well. Sudzuka's eye for anatomy is quite strong, and that brings an air of realism to the book. But the figures aren't rendered in a photorealistic manner nor in an exaggerated, cartoony way either. The simpler tone of the characters' faces allows the reader to identify with them. I must also reiterate how pleased I am that the artist's style is so consistent with that of regular penciller Pia Guerra.
Also meriting mention is cover artist Massimo Carnevale. I love the use of the mirror image to demonstrate how backwards and broken Allison's life has been. The artist's style puts me in mind of the art of such talented men as Dan (The Nocturnals) Brereton and Duncan (Enigma) Fegredo. The use of color reinforces a surreal tone, which further touches upon the skewed nature of her upbringing. That single image says a lot about the reader can find within.
Vaughan opens the book with a great little piece of misdirection that establishes a tone of urgency to the flashback story that unfolds in its wake. When we discover what's really happening at the end of the issue, it not only gets the reader involved in the larger, ongoing plotline, but it serves as a powerful reminder of the title's chaotic and troubling opening premise. At the same time, Vaughan maintains an accessible tone throughout this issue, dropping in subtle bits of exposition and foreshadowing. 9/10
