I once heard a theory (probably came from a Tarantino flick, though I'm not sure) that most folks are either Elvis fans or Beatles fans. I think I like both equally, as far as music goes, but when it comes to the legends, I've gotta give it to Elvis. The Beatles have John and Yoko and the legend of "Paul's dead," but Elvis has an early death and the various "Elvis lives" rumors that have reserved him a permanent spot in the tabloid rotation. Koslowski knows this, and has crafted a story centered around the Elvis legend with The King, his exceptional follow-up to Three Fingers. The King isn't just a story about the legend of Elvis, it's also an examination of the nature of faith, as viewed through the lens of a fascinating cast of supporting characters and one really great central character, washed-up tabloid reporter Paul Erfurt, whose journey into the world of The King is his chance at redemption in more ways than one.
Koslowski unveils the story of The King piece by piece, drawing the reader into the tale so that you can't just stop reading at the chapter breaks, but you have to keep reading to find out what happens next. Or, more correctly, what happened next, because while the story moves forward, a lot of the important story elements revolve around a mystery that has its roots in the past. The history of the King and his retinue is interwoven with the history of Erfurt and his friend Dave, and while the story of Erfurt's encounter with the King on an assignment for Time magazine is the fulcrum on which the story turns, it is these historical tales that make up the real meat of the story. The slow reveal of Erfurt's history, and how important this assignment is to him at first and why, plays nicely into what the assignment eventually comes to mean to him. The same slow reveal of The King's history begins as a puzzle for the reader and becomes the key to the story's themes about faith and the power of music and legend, as well as a lesson in how one man can become something larger than life.
Truthfully, despite the serious tone that Koslowski brought to cartoon characters in Three Fingers, when I saw that he was working on The King, I expected something in more of a comedic vein. I mean, Elvis fanatics and the Elvis legend are easy to poke fun at. However, Koslowski plays the cult of the King up as something noble, something helpful, and while there's certainly a lot of humor in the book (the character of Frank is hilarious), The King is hardly a comedy. In fact, Koslowski uses the story of The King and Paul Erfurt to explore the nature of faith, and whether one can have belief if you need facts to back it up. Faith is one of those things I struggle with, and I don't have a lot of it when it comes to conventional religion, but the way that Koslowski explains faith, expanding it beyond its religious definition into a more secular, everday kind of force, I see its uses and see it even in those who traditionally have little use for religion.
While the mystery of The King's story is compelling, and the theme of faith gives the story a lot of its heart, one of the biggest strengths of The King is in its fascinating cast of characters. The King himself, of course, is a great central figure, an enigmatic and friendly soul whose beatific calm gives off the sense of godhood that he claims to have, while remaining down to earth enough to be a believable Elvis figure as well. Paul Erfurt, for all the difficulties of his past and cynicism that has come from a broken life, is also a likable lead, because the reader gets to watch him come alive and struggle with doing what's right throughout the story, and his friendship with Dave, a private investigator, gives an instant touch of history and lets us glimpse the Paul of old before the story starts to let us see him regaining that persona. The entourage of The King is also made up of a variety of fascinating characters, from the hard partying, slightly loony Frank, the quiet and devout Leonard, Tony the head of The King's church or the stripper Trinity, whose story crosses path with the ensemble at a couple of different points.
The King is just as impressive in terms of artwork as it in terms of story. Koslowski gives a real feel for Vegas in his backdrops, from the swanky hotel suites of The King to the rundown hotel of Erfurt to the diners, back alleys, desert tents and strip joints where Erfurt pursues his story. This is the whole of Las Vegas, not just the glitzy side that the tourists see but the dirtier underpinnings that help keep sin city running 24 hours a day. The book is printed in a blue-toned color scheme that really pops off the page, and Koslowski's cartooning is also exceptional. I especially love the sort of enlarged heads on the bodies that allows him to accentuate the expressions of the characters, especially at the key moment of violence that puts Erfurt's decision about the King front and center.
Note: This comic has not yet been released, but should be available in comic shops soon.
