I'll be honest, I wasn't really expecting to like Deathmask much. Most of Future's offerings to date haven't quite grabbed me, and the bloodthirsty vigilante type that seemed to be what Deathmask was all about really doesn't interest me. However, Michelinie has crafted an interesting protagonist here, one with the motivations of a Punisher but the power of Dr. Strange, and though cosmic-powered vigilantism isn't completely fresh anymore thanks to Peter David and Captain Marvel, there's a certain appeal to the way it's done here. It doesn't hurt that the artwork, from the protagonist's visual design to the pyrotechnic magical effects to the semi-painted appearance of the dream sequence, is very strong. I have my issues with Deathmask, but this seems to me to have the most potential of any of the Future Comics offerings I've sampled so far.
The approach on Deathmask reminds me of the not-so-successful experiment that Jim Valentino engaged in with the original Shadowhawk. Two issues in, we don't know the secret identity of the protagonist, or indeed much about him save that he has powers (not even how he got them.) Given that Future Comics are written in a style that seems based more on the fundamentals of the 1970s and 80s, this lack of exposition and origin is quite odd, and it's a significant failing of the book, keeping the reader at a distance. The only payoff for this distance is a mystery that honestly isn't all that compelling, and I can't help but think that starting off with a more concise origin would have made for a stronger start.
Leaving aside the somewhat transparent nature of the protagonist, though, he certainly is visually interesting. I like the mixture of 90s "kewl" elements and Silver Age mage elements in his costume, and Brad Nault does a terrific job of setting apart the magical effects with his colors. Veteran artists Giordano and Layton also deserve plenty of credit for their solid action scene construction, and they don't pull any punches in showing the grisly after-effects of Deathmask's assault on the underworld. In addition to the influences I named above, I sense more than a little of the Spectre in his spectacular and imaginative bloody vengeance on crime.
Instead of an origin story, the first two issues of Deathmask focus on the protagonist's conflict with a slimy villain from the old school, and the pursuit of Deathmask by an FBI agent who shares a name with a famous felon. To be honest, the names and general actions of these two characters came across as more than a little cheesy, especially with Michelinie's lifting of a well-known Untouchables movie moment to make Dillinger's first appearance impressive. But at the same time, the trap that Deathmask is caught in is kind of fun, and Dillinger does come off as capable and smart in his appearances.
All in all, there are a lot of mysteries here, and I find myself somewhat intrigued to see where they take us. Deathmask's motivations, his history with DuLac, Mwerta and Dillinger all seem like the kind of things that should be covered much earlier on than they have been, but the creators did successfully hook me into the mysteries, so it's hard to deny that this delayed approach might pay off.
