Yeah, the impulse is gone now. Brubaker’s initial excitement and the creative force of Fatale has petered out. It’s still a good comic book, it’s just not exciting. There’s not a single surprise this issue.

Brubaker changes gears a lot. The bad cop is now not only one of the protagonists, he’s also not quite as bad a cop as he could be. Sure, he makes deals with demons… but he still does his job.

And Hank–whose manuscript is based, potentially, on these events–ceases to be a protagonist for most of the issue. Brubaker instead treats him as a subject, which does make a lot of sense. Getting into his head after a literal monster kills his pregnant wife… it might be too much of a downer even for Fatale.

Conversely, Phillips excels with issue’s relative quiet. Both creators have gotten comfortable, but Phillips doesn’t become less exciting.

CREDITS

Death Chases Me, Chapter Four; writer, Ed Brubaker; artist, Sean Phillips; colorist, Dave Stewart; publisher, Image Comics.

Fatale all of a sudden becomes very small and predictable. Brubaker moves the action, for a bit, to Fresno (in the fifties), which gives Phillips a lot to draw. Except when it comes time for the big reveal scene–when Hank gets his first clue about being in over his head–it’s an exceptionally small scene.

I get Brubaker not wanting to show the shark or whatnot, but come on. Fatale is in its third issue, there have been teases before. Another tease just leaves the finish of the book empty.

The modern day protagonist returns for a bit this issue at the beginning. It’s unclear why Brubaker’s including him, except to confirm the manuscript from the first issue isn’t the flashbacks. Not exactly. It’s embellished.

But otherwise? Including the modern day stuff doesn’t make any difference to the issue.

As for the predictability… hopefully Brubaker can recover his footing.

CREDITS

Death Chases Me, Interlude and Chapter Three; writer, Ed Brubaker; artist, Sean Phillips; colorist, Dave Stewart; publisher, Image Comics.

No framing this issue–and no immediate resolution to the previous cliffhanger. Instead, Brubaker does what he can to keep the reader on unsteady ground. The titular fatale, Josephine, opens the issue (I think) and Brubaker sticks close to her in terms of third person narration.

Everyone gets close third person, actually. Brubaker follows four characters around, the same number as last time, though the final one this issue is just for effect. He’s got to make the reader immediately sympathetic, since he’s got to do harm to the character.

Phillip’s artwork is outstanding. It’s a brighter issue, even though the supernatural elements become fully visible here.

Fatale isn’t exactly predictable, but it’s familiar. Brubaker and Phillips are cutting a new path through traditional terrain, regardless of how they accessorize.

That observation isn’t a slight. The comic’s an abject success, with Brubaker expertly pacing out the issue’s plot once again.

CREDITS

Death Chases Me, Chapter Two; writer, Ed Brubaker; artist, Sean Phillips; colorist, Dave Stewart; publisher, Image Comics.

Fatale‘s first issue has some extra pages, but not so many it’s totally different from a regular comic. Brubaker does wonders with the pacing. He opens with a modern story, then flashes back into something. It’s unclear if it’s the manuscript the protagonist found or just a flashback.

But in that flashback, Brubaker moves between three characters. So it’s a less than thirty-page comic with four characters and all the time well spent. The pacing’s so great, Fatale being compelling is just a bonus.

The cliffhanger’s a little soft though. It doesn’t have enough impact since the reader has just meant that particular protagonist.

Sean Phillips’s artwork is fantastic, whether it’s the action scenes or the fifties stuff. The fifties art is a lot more static; it’s calm, even though it’s rather violent.

Brubaker and Phillips turn in such a strong, but singular, first issue, Fatale‘s hard to anticipate.

CREDITS

Death Chases Me, Prologue and Chapter One; writer, Ed Brubaker; artist, Sean Phillips; colorist, Dave Stewart; publisher, Image Comics.