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HELLBLAZER #165
"Highwater Part Two of Four"
Highly Recommended (10/10)
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DC Comics/Vertigo imprint
Writer: Brian Azzarello
Artist: Marcelo Frusin
Colors: James Sinclair & Zylonol
Letters: Clem Robins
Editor: Tony Bedard
Price: $2.50 US/$4.25 CAN |
I've been enjoying Azzarello's Hellblazer up until this point, but with
this story, he seems to be really hitting his stride. The portrayal of fanatical
racists is interesting largely because they are portrayed as more than
one-dimensional objects of hatred. Even as their views are wrong-headed and
sickening, Azzarello provides a context that helps us understand how they came
around to that view and, more to the point, shows us that they are people too,
with families and friends and normal everyday chatter in between their words of
hatred and violence. Frusin captures both sides of the equation just as well,
whether it's the frightening encounters that the Neo-Nazis have with a gun
dealer or an innocent black woman or their friendly chats with each other or
their families. The setup is there, and the way that Constantine is being drawn
into it seems destined to once again force him into hurting a friend.
As with last issue, this issue features
narration of the worldview of these Neo-Nazis, and hearing their view of history
and the world climate, undiluted by any nods to political correctness or
attempts at acceptance, is chilling. While last issue it was made frightening by
the revelation that a child was spouting these words, this issue it is
frightening as it comes from the mouth of the otherwise personable and
intelligent Mr. Gage, who will no doubt serve as an interesting adversary for
Constantine.
What really makes the issue work, though,
are the little things, the visual things. Seeing a skinhead kiss his wife
goodbye while letting his infant son tug on his finger, only to see him on the
next page spitting on the car of a terrified young woman, serves as an example
of the contrasts in these lives. Seeing the anger burn in their eyes as the arms
dealer pushes them further and further, feeling that he is safe, and seeing the
violent fallout from his actions, serves as a reminder that these words fuel a
mindset that is more than willing to take violent action. Though the town may
seem peaceful on the surface due to the solidarity of the racists, any minor
disruption could cause violence, and that ups the tension considerably.
All the more interesting is the role of
Marjorie, Constantine's friend, in all of this. She has been hurt already, and
Constantine feels no small amount of guilt, and I'll be interested to see how he
deals with having to hurt her again. Because though she seems very sweet and
nice, it is clear she has been taken in by Gage, and whatever sins Constantine
may have, being a racist isn't one of them. So I suspect that she is going to
suffer for bringing Constantine into conflict with someone she considers a
mentor, maybe even a savior.
Hellblazer is not really a title about magic and demons any more, it's a story about the horrors that humanity is capable of producing all on its own. While this may not suit all Hellblazer fans, I have to say that it
suits me just fine.
Email Randy Lander comments about this review. |
