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TRANSMETROPOLITAN #50
"Happy Talk"
Highly Recommended (9/10)
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DC Comics/Vertigo imprint
Writer: Warren Ellis
Pencils: Darick Robertson
Inks: Rodney Ramos
Colors: Nathan Eyring
Letters: Clem Robins
Editor: Heidi MacDonald
Price: $2.50 US/$4.25 CAN |
At this point, if you're reading Transmetropolitan, it's because you've been reading it all the way and you're heading into the home stretch. At least, that's the plan, because like Black Panther #37, also out this week, this one relies heavily on your knowing the
relationships between these characters to really connect with what's going on
this issue. Also like that issue, the result is that this is a phenomenal issue
for regular readers, a payoff to over four years of setup and a sendoff for a
despicable character in the most unpleasant (and thus enjoyable) ways possible,
along with the usual cynicism, dark humor and frustrated idealism that has been
part of this book from the beginning. Also as per usual standards, the book is
gorgeous, full of splashy visuals, incredible detail and sheer style.
I've said it before and I'll
say it again, one of the things that makes Ellis such a good writer is that he
knows when to trust his artist. The opening sequence, and indeed much of this
book, consists of Spider perpetrating horrid but justified acts of violence on
Fred Christ, and it's up to Darick Robertson to deliver the images in a way that
makes them horrible, bloody and yet at the same time make them seem like
righteous payback. As usual, he comes through in fine style. The first few pages
serve notice that this is going to be an ugly, brutal interrogation. In fact,
the first seven pages are used exclusively to show Spider beating the living
crap out of Fred Christ, establishing the tone of the rest of the issue.
That tone is righteous anger,
tinted with Spider's usual bit of mildly psychotic humor. "The Chair Leg of
Truth" is hilariously funny, even as it's sick and wrong. And Channon, Spider
and Christ all have expressive and colorful dialogue throughout the
interrogation. A rather simple story, that of a man being beaten and
interrogated, becomes engrossing because of the style involved and because of
all the pain and trouble we know he has caused in the past.
There are also bits of payoff
in Fred Christ's words, as he tells the story of his involvement with the
President. Much of this information is not new to the reader, or not surprising
in many ways, but it starts to make puzzle pieces fit, and it provides another
hint as to the story of what's been going on with Callahan. He also adds another
layer to Vita Severn's death, something to make it even more tragic and wasteful
and in need of avenging.
As we close in on the last year of Transmetropolitan, I expect we'll be seeing
a lot of issues like this, while Spider revisits old sources and old stories and
Ellis reinforces the plot and themes of the story before building to the grand
conclusion. While familiarity can sometimes breed contempt, in my case it has
bred only more curiosity and a greater appreciation for the overall story that
the creative team will have told when all is said and done.
Email Randy Lander comments about this review. |
