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MOMENT OF SILENCE #1
Recommended (7/10)
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Marvel Comics
"Moment of Truth"
Writer: Bill Jemas
Pencils: Mark Bagley
Inks: Scott Hanna
Colors: Hi-Fi
"Moment of Silence: A True Story"
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Scott Morse
Colors: Jason Hvam
"Sick Day"
Writer: Joe Quesada
Artist: Igor Kordey
Colors: Chris Sotomayor
"Periphery"
Writer: Kevin Smith
Pencils: John Romita Jr.
Inks: Norm Rapmund
Colors: Avalon
Letters: Sharpefont
Editor: Mike Raicht
Price: $3.50 US/$5.25 CAN |
I have to admit that I'm disappointed in Moment of Silence,
because while a silent issue may have seemed like the ideal format for stories
centering on such a powerful and emotional moment in time, it doesn't really
work out. The basics of these stories are in real life, and we've heard the more
powerful and undistilled real versions of them, which means that just seeing
them re-enacted in silence isn't anywhere near as effective. Each of these
stories is about a hero or a victim of the tragedy, and I don't wish to downplay
the power of these stories, but I think that for the most part the telling of
the stories is weaker than it should have been.
Of course, that isn't to say
that a number of these stories don't have very effective visuals. The very
simple act of heroism that is running into a burning building rather than away
comes through quite clearly in the story by Bill Jemas and Mark Bagley, and the
raw emotion of losing someone is quite clear in Igor Kordey's artwork. It's just
that some of the subtleties of reaction, particularly those found in "Sick Day"
by Joe Quesada, or the contrast of a normal day against what turned into a very
abnormal day such as in "Moment of Truth" or "Periphery" by Jemas and Smith are
not highlighted anywhere near as much as they might have been with words.
The most effective story in
the book, in fact, is the one which actually uses dialogue, a speech directly
from one of Brian Michael Bendis's friends. While the silent story is effective,
in large part due to the work by Scott Morse, it really needed the verbal
bookends to give it meaning. John Dudas, the retailer/firefighter who narrates
"Moment of Silence: A True Story," gives context to what the firefighters and
police officers were feeling, and that glimpse of their humanity makes their
heroism all the more real.
On the art side, this book is
gorgeous throughout. Kordey delivered the most effective image in the Heroes
book, and he delivers some equally powerful and chilling imagery in Joe
Quesada's story this issue. The silhouetted form of a firefighter going to work,
with only the "FDNY" of his T-Shirt to identify him, is a vivid image that will
stay with me, and Kordey's work on the emotions of the family that lost a member
on 9-11 are equally powerful. Bagley conveys the chaos of the day, as well as
the heroism of men like Tony Savas, quite well. And Romita Jr., despite not
meshing terribly well with Rapmund's inks, is as effective as ever in his
depiction of normal routine and petty bickering that seems so small in light of
the tragedy later in the day.
So given my disappointment, I'll still be picking up Moment of Silence, and not
just because the money goes toward a good cause. Every one of these stories is
good, and the art throughout is impressive. It's just that I can't help thinking
how much better almost all of them would have been if the creative teams hadn't
been stuck with the edict of silent storytelling.
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