Marlene is an awesome comic. It’s far from perfect–the story anyway–but it’s definitely awesome.

To get the problems out of the way, it’s Peter Snejbjerg’s protagonist. He’s a brilliant but aging tough guy detective who can take anyone in himself, but can’t bring himself to call his wife. Even though the comic takes place in Denmark, the cop has basically every stereotypical detail.

He even sleeps with the subject of his investigation, Marlene.

And there the comic gets interesting. Sure, there’s the obsessed cop standard, but Snejbjerg brings in a great supernatural element. It only works because of the art, however–especially after Snejbjerg hints at the supernatural from the first or second page.

The pay-off is wonderful.

Snejbjerg shows a great sense of humor too, with a deranged painter who offers a lot of comic relief.

Besides the cop story problems, it’s a masterfully done comic.

CREDITS

Writer, artist and letterer, Peter Snejbjerg; publisher, Slave Labor Graphics.