Murphy and Dalrymple have a few landmines in their way when creating Fade From Blue, and I'm not talking about the difficulty of selling a characterization-focused, female-lead story in a testosterone-dominated marketplace. No, I'm talking about four distinct protagonists, each with their own substory, not to mention a throughline plot linking all the characters that has elements of mystery going back to when the now grown-up girls were children. Miraculously, the book is remarkably uncluttered, with each character getting space for their story, while the pacing still feels like something new happens in each issue.
One of the best feelings in the world when reading a comic or watching a TV show or a movie is to get the sense that the creators know these characters so intimately that they know where they came from, where they are and where they're going. I definitely get that sense with Fade From Blue, as Murphy has shown a lot of detail in the background of his characters, as well as the terrific relationship dynamics that defines the modern day era of the book. This issue opens with a flashback to just after their mothers had been killed, showing us not only that there was something sinister to those events but also showing how the bonds of these girls formed early on. The renaming and how it shaped their relationships really shows how the character relationships we are seeing now developed in the first place.
Meanwhile, back in the modern day, we're seeing those relationships gradually shift and change, just like in real life. Iya is feeling more isolated, like her sisters don't need her. Marit and Christa have both grown somewhat isolated from the family as well, driven by their own personal demons. And Elisa has taken on what seems like the most normal existence of all of them, but in preparing for her date, goes crazier than any of them. Murphy gets a lot of mileage out of Elisa's preparation for her date, including some of the funnier gags in the issue. I also love that Murphy is writing women who know how men think, which wouldn't seem hard since he is a man, but their own feminine personalities are as important as how they react to the way men sometimes think and act.
Dalrymple's artwork continues to impress as well. Though he doesn't do a lot of detailed background work, that's mostly because the focus is on the character interaction. When the situation calls for it, he's ready with the background details. And more importantly, his ability with character expressions is great, particularly when they're a bit loud in their emotions, such as Christa's discovery of the cat or Elisa's frustration as she tries to get ready for her date.
Fade From Blue has at its core a fascinating mystery, and I'm looking forward to seeing more of the crime-influenced elements of the series. However, what really makes the book work are four believable main characters and the interactions they have with each other and with other characters. One of the most difficult things to do in comics is to write characters who are not just entertaining, but realistic in the way they act, and Murphy has nailed that aspect of writing.
