Steve Niles is a sick bastard, and he's making the most of it. This new story -- a modern spin on Frankenstein -- is a chilling tale of selfishness, but what really makes that creepy feeling crawl up the reader's spine is Milx's richly detailed and unflinching artwork. Unfortunately, he only brings part of this story to life, and the style of the backup artist who filled in the gaps pales in comparison. If anything, the debacle with Milx's recent "disappearance" serves to spotlight just how important a contribution an artist makes to a comic book... and how important consistency is to storytelling.
Victor is a young man with a number of striking characteristics: wealth, curiosity, brilliance and a complete lack of empathy. He's convinced two childhood friends to help him with his experiments, hidden away in the basement of his drunken mother's manor. He's determined to break down the barriers between the living and the dead. He wants to reanimate a corpse, and he's tired of working on animal carcasses. He wants a human subject, and several candidates come to his attention.
the two-page splash in which Milx brings a car accident to life is a shocking, powerful visual. His work here reminds me of a cross between the styles of Michael (Sandman: The Wake) Zulli and Geof (Hard Boiled) Darrow. He brings a horrific vision of real life to the reader, and he impresses at the same time as he disturbs. It's just a damn shame he couldn't handle the art chores on the entire issue. Chee's style is a jarring contrast to that of the original artist. He boasts a simpler style, and his thick linework is radically different than the thin, meticulous art we get from Milx. My disappointment in his failure to complete the issue is something of a testament to the strength of Milx's work.
Niles takes a page from David Copperfield's book here. This story, in addition to establishing the premise, is all about misdirection. At first, there seems to be a predictable quality to the way the story is developing, but then, the writer throws a new twist in. But that's not enough, as he throws another at the reader by the end of the issue. It brings a fresh quality to the familiar Frankenstein foundation.
I'm intrigued by Victor as a character. His ambition is overwhelming, and one can understand how he was able to surround himself with "followers." But his ego is even more powerful, and one can't help but loathe him. There's really no hero to be found in this story yet, just antagonists and victims.
