Fade From Blue is walking a fine-line between chick flick and action story that lands it right in the intriguing and different category, especially where comics is concerned. Murphy has a cast of four main characters who are all very believable women with very different personalities, and he spices that up with guest stars, whether it's the editor from issue one or this issue's somewhat clueless but sweet older brother in the VD clinic. There's also a nice balance between the emotional character stuff, including tragedy in the women's pasts and difficulty sorting out their present, and the more plot-oriented story of their long-lost father and what he has to do with a hitman that cop Marit is tracking down.
When I read this book, I'm reminded of how I felt the first time I discovered Strangers in Paradise. Murphy and Dalrymple are telling a tale that is entertaining, based on real life, with just a touch of the fantastic to keep it interesting. In fact, one of my favorite characters, Christa, reminds me of Katchoo before she went completely off the rails. Christa's pessimism and fear of being hurt makes her a bit tragic, as she passes up a nice guy like Trev, but it also makes her hilarious. Her outburst that begins directed at him and ends being directed at the poor schlub next to her is a lot of fun.
Dalrymple has his work cut out for him as he tackles one of the most difficult tasks an artist can handle, a story that is set in a realistic universe without any shortcuts like magic, high technology or super-heroic action. He's got to be able to deliver solid facial expressions and believable backgrounds, and he's got to distinguish the four lead characters without the benefit of distinctive costumes. I found his work here to be really good, particularly the multiple panels that lead up to the confrontation between Trev and Christa and the transitions from flashback to present or from one location to another.
What most impresses me about the book, however, is that despite four disparate main characters and some different tones and styles, ranging from romance to crime to drama to humor, the book holds together remarkably well. There are important stories going on here, including Marit tracking down their father, Christa opening up a little, Iya struggling with a bad relationship and Elisa starting a new one (and maybe realizing her best friend has more than just friendly interests in her), and each one gets plenty of space to develop without feeling out of place with the rest of the book. Murphy's dialogue really rings true, and the articles "by" Christa that close out each issue are a unique element of the book and another example of giving us insight into one of the characters in a remarkably small amount of space.
For only a $1.50, Fade From Blue is a bargain, and the price does not indicate the level of quality to be found inside, which is easily up there with the rest of the comics on the stands. I'd recommend it especially to fans of Strangers in Paradise, but I'd also say that fans of Sex and the City would find a lot to like here.
