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BADLANDS graphic novel
Recommended (8/10)
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AiT/Planet Lar
Writer: Steven Grant
Artist: Vince Giarrano
Price: $12.95 US |
As a Canadian born after the 1960s, the assassination of John F. Kennedy doesn't hold the same importance for me as it would for others a bit older or a bit more American. However, I do have an interest in a good story, and I have a soft spot for historical fiction (one of my favorite comics as a kid was All-Star Squadron, and among my favorite novels in recent years were Caleb Carr's The Alienist and its sequel, The Angel of Death).
On top of all that, I've been thoroughly impressed with AiT/Planet Lar's offerings to date. So it was with more than a little curiosity that I began to flip through these pages. I was surprised... the slow-moving story didn't really grab me at first. But as the book progresses and the tension builds, by the end, I was captivated... and a little disturbed by what I read. Which is what I think Grant had set out to do.
It's summer of 1963, and Connie Bremen's just been released from prison. His stint behind bars did a number on his head, as did a fellow con named Jannety, who manages to continue mucking with Connie's life on the outside. Still, Jannety gets Connie a job with a Texas oil baron, watching over his wild daughter. Bremen soon finds himself in over his head, not only with the spoiled, hedonistic rich girl, but for his reluctant connection to Jannety, his boss and their murmured plans for the future.
Giarrano's art tells the story fairly clearly... save for the fact that a couple of the key characters -- Jannety and Peck -- are easily confused, though as the plot becomes more focused later in the book, so do the visuals. I think a little more in the way of realism in the art might have served the story better, but overall, Giarrano steps up and does his job as a storyteller, especially when one considers that this is some of his earlier work, if memory serves.
Since the reader knows what this book is really about, one could assume that the notorious centerpiece of the plot robs it of any level of suspense. Fortunately, such is not the case. Learning how Bremer gets caught up in the JFK assassination conspiracy provides plenty.
As the story nears its unavoidable climax, Grant pulls off a remarkable trick. I discovered that I felt involved in the story. Despite my aforementioned disconnection from this moment in history, I found I was angry. Not about the events in the story, but over the fact that a scenario like it was not only possible, but probable. The sheer greed and ego of such a plan was appalling, and for that reaction, I thank the writer.
Note: This trade paperback was not among this week's new releases.
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