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FOUR WOMEN #1
Recommended (8/10)
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DC Comics/Homage Comics
Writer/Artist: Sam Kieth
Inks: James Sinclair
Colors: Alex Sinclair
Letters: Naghmeh Zand
Editor: Scott Dunbier
Price: $2.95 US/$4.95 CAN |
This is Sam Kieth's second project for DC's Homage Comics imprint. The first -- Zero Girl -- was a surreal story of an unusual teenage girl's coming of age. Again, Kieth focuses on female protagonists, but this time, his story is far more grounded, and therefore, boasts a graver tone. Some of the scripting is rather clunky, but overall, it seems he's on track to tell another interesting and basically human story.
Four women -- Donna, Bev, Marion and Cindy, all quite different but close friends nonetheless -- embark on a road trip to a wedding, carrying with them a treasure trove of treats and edibles. They tease one another, giggle and generally have a good time... until something goes wrong with the car and they have a mysterious encounter with someone altogether unpleasant.
Kieth brings the various characteristics of these characters to life with his oddball art style. And I mean oddball in a complimentary way. His style is instantly recognizable. His figures are exaggerated ones, but it helps us to get a sense of who these women are. Sinclair's colors really shine here as well, establishing a foreboding mood throughout the book.
In the early half of the book, Kieth sets to the task of introducing the four main characters. Unfortunately, the introductions are not woven seamlessly into the narration. Page six reads like a character outline, not part of a story. Fortunately, the moment is fleeting, but it really kicked me right out of an otherwise compelling story.
Luckily, it didn't take long to get back into it. The dialogue is thoroughly believable. I love how the initial road-trip conversation is used to establish the main theme that Kieth is exploring: when crunch-time hits, when real danger looms, how will different people react? This series promises to be a chilling look inside the dark side of the human heart.
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