I honestly didn't know what to expect from this comic book, and after reading it, I'm still more than a little in the dark. Fortunately, it's in a good way. Fallen Angel is part Birds of Prey, part private-eye noir storytelling and part Twilight Zone. This title seems to cross genres and defy them, and as a result, this mysterious book stands out as rather unique. I don't know what this book is about yet, but I do know that I rather enjoyed its unpredictability and unusual characterization.
The city of Bete Noire welcomed a new citizen a month ago. Calling herself simply Lee, her penchant for righting wrongs has earned her the nickname of the Fallen Angel. It's also earned her the deadly attention of the city's resident crimelord, an enigmatic and dashing man named Doctor Juris. Lee ventures into his dark world once again when a woman approaches her, desperate to reunite with her son, whom she says came to Bete Noire to become a high-priced gigilo.
Lopez's artwork captures the darkness and generally tense atmosphere required here quite well. the title character's design is simply but striking, and he conveys her almost alien beauty adeptly as well. The others characters tend to be rendered in a simpler style, though, giving the art a slightly uneven look. I expect that will pass as Lopez settles into the assignment. Eyring's colors reinforce the mood that looms over the book nicely, and Stelfreeze's cover is eye-catching while capturing the mystery and darkness of the title.
Peter David is well known for his sense of humor, and there are plenty of examples to be found in this book. This time, though, that strength is something of a liability. I didn't find the jokes worked well in this context at all. They seem to fly in the face of the tension and edge that serve as the thematic foundation of the property.
Everything about the characters in this book seems to be designed to make the reader ill at ease, and it's an intriguing approach. Lee's bartender friend is uncomfortably likeable, given the history at which he hints here, and the surprising interaction between Lee and Juris served as one of the strongest hooks in this debut issue.
Like Starman, Fallen Angel is a title that boasts among its characters the setting itself. Bete Noire (French for "black beast," if anyone's wondering) is an unnatural city, and I'd love to learn more about its supernatural and dangerous allure.
