If there's one kind of character trait one doesn't expect to find in Warren Ellis's writing, it's sweetness, but that's exactly what he offers up in this issue. The setting and other characters don't lose their edge, but Ellis softens Detective Richard Fell's new world of Snowton somewhat with the introduction of a kinder sort of citizen. Ellis brings a strong sense of balance to the dark, ugly city that's really the main character of the series, and that approach is reflected in the artwork. The colors Templesmith employs in this issue are brighter overall, but there's still an eerie glow permeating the book, signalling that not is all as it should be in an ideal world. And Snowton is far from an ideal world.
It's been a rough start on the job for Detective Richard Fell. He's been stabbed not once, but twice. He's pretty much healthy, though, but the same can't be said of his wardrobe. He takes a day off to go shopping, but he finds the Snowton retail sector isn't exactly Donald Trump's dream come true. Fell stumbles across a little secondhand-goods/vintage clothing store run by a kindly elderly lady with a long history in the city. The investigator finds a promising new outfit, but he finds much more than he bargained for in the dressing room when he goes to try it on.
There's a palpable Frank Miller influence at play in Templesmith's artwork, and it's most apparent when one glimpses the Evil Nixon Nun character. The artist's most important contribution to this issue, though, is his portrayal of the man Fell encounters in the dressing room. He is a threat, but in order for the story and timing to work properly, the reader has to empathize with him, even like him. Templesmith offers a soft, pathetic look on the character's face, and that helps the reader to get on his side a bit. That sets up a surprising shift in the tone of the scene from one of emotional exchange to explosive, painful action.
The little old lady not only brings Snowton down to earth, but she provides a strong sense of history for the place. Connecting the community with the war and linking a organized killing conflict with the deadly chaos of the city give the bizarre and extreme setting more of a context. In other words, by granting Snowton a past, Ellis enhances its credibility. This story and these characters make for a slightly more realistic feel.
Ellis tones down the level of weirdness in this issue. There's less of a supernatural atmosphere as the writer takes his protagonist through more of a routine day. It makes for a much different issue, but one that enhances the overall flavor of the series. In this issue, he depicts Snowton as a place worth saving by showing us just one small corner of it that's not completely eaten up by corruption. At the same time, he's careful to show that the ugliness outside has had an effect as well. 9/10
