This is one of those books that not a lot of people know about, and I know that some folks love their indy books to be like that, little secret books that nobody knows about. Me, I'm in the "fuck that" camp, and want a lot more people to be talking about Chiaroscuro, because it is (to repeat a cliche) one of the best books you're not reading. It's similar in tone to Image's Paradigm, although it features a more straightforward storyline and very different art.
The opening scene with Anthony and the customer is downright hilarious, maybe a little bit funnier to those of us who work in the retail industry and can find a little cathartic joy in his antics. Troy Little has a way with dialogue that makes issues like five, most of which is a conversation between three friends in a coffee shop, into absolute gold to read. It's like the first time you saw Clerks or the first time you read one of Bendis's "true life" stories or the first time you saw Seinfeld and realized that it doesn't matter if there's not much to the story, good dialogue is its own reward.
Which isn't to say there's no story in Chiaroscuro... though the pacing is leisurely, there's definitely a story going on about the weirdness in lead character Steve's life. There are some clues this issue as to what's going on, with Kevin's revelations about the way Steve got his apartment or the mysterious appearance of a brand-new, paid-for BMW that I'll just bet is related to the guys who beat the crap out of Steve in prior issues.
Little also has an art style that is difficult to describe, because it's so unusual. Big, almost caricatured heads sit atop skinny but well-realized bodies, and the whole thing is done with expert layouts and storytelling. It's impossible to call anyone unique these days, but if I was of a mind to, Little is one of the guys who would get the appellation. The closest comparisons I can make are to Steve Stegelin and Scott Morse, but the similarities of style are more surface than anything else.
Chiaroscuro is funny and real, with just enough weirdness lurking beneath the surface. The pacing is comparable to most manga or to a Bendis book, but every issue is an entertaining read on its own, and I suspect it will all add up to something even more interesting at the end. Do yourself a favor and ask your store owner to order this book. You won't be sorry.
