The creators of Pulp, My Heroes Have Always Been Junkies, Criminal, and The Fade Out strike again! This time, it’s with Destroy All Monsters: A Reckless Book, from Image.
Ethan Reckless’ motto is: Your trouble is his business, for a price. In this latest original Graphic Novel, writer Ed Brubaker brings more trouble and business and Ethan keeps paying the price. Big time.
Ethan, living in an old abandoned movie theatre, forms a friendship with a young transient woman. As time goes on, his friendship with Anna blossoms, and he hires her to work for him. He’s not been handling business very well, and she gets him organized. New clients hire him. And that’s where the trouble kicks in; client lies and misbehavior, substance abuse, and poor decision-making all contribute to Ethan’s woes. And then Anna disappears.
It’s the kind of ‘street level’ drama that is so enticing to read: stories of troubled people making choices based on faulty logic or bad ambitions. The violence joins the drama, resulting in: dramatic violence. Bad tempers and the endless paying of the price.
It’s compelling and gripping, this one. Sean Phillips is the master of the urban landscape of old model cars and faded dreams. Phillips’ character faces have lines, their clothes are rumpled, his buildings are full of memories and grime. Colourist Jacob Phillips paints the tones in well-chosen hues: the fires, the fights, black and blue and enhanced with pain. It’s crime fiction worth reading.
Image, Destroy All Monsters: A Reckless Book, $24.99 for 152 pages of content. Mature readers.
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