Writer: Ed Brubaker
Artist: Sean Phillips
Colorist: Jacob Phillips
Thanks to Image for the review copy!
Another new blockbuster OGN from the superstar minds of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. Moving outside the comfort zone of their typical crime noir fair they bring us a murdery mystery from the suburbs of sunny California in the early 80’s. It’s a gonzo story about love, friendships, crooked cops, new beginnings, and of course, murder!
Another winner from Brubaker and Phillips. Not that I would have expected anything less given the quality of work these guys pour into their books and their dedication to good storytelling. They continue to surprise me as each new book comes out. In a medium where superheroes still reign supreme this team may be the unheralded champions of the industry. In Where The Body Was Brubaker and Phillips explore an entirely new idea and genre. It has all the intricate dialogue and larger than life characters of their usual fare but they bring the story to us from an angle that is more Americana and suburbia based than previous efforts. It’s a story that covers many different stereotypes and generally encompasses several plots that eventually all come together. It plays more like a timeline of events than actual story but the characters and dialogue are so strong that you are pulled right in as if you were a resident in the very neighborhood these events all go down. It’s a fascinating slice of life set during the 80’s in California but it’s a story that could have taken place in any small town or city during those times. It’s reverent, stylish, and thrilling to see these events unfold and it’s almost sad to see it wrap when it does. Phillips’ art continues to shine as does his son Jacob’s colors. Everything is crisp, vibrant, and colorful. The pay-off at the end is quite original and not one anyone will see coming. It’s then you realize it was never about the body in the first place. It was always just about the people. Just about that neighborhood. Just about life! You really can’t ask for a better package and you would be hard-pressed to find more interesting and compelling fare on the shelves today. This is a playground that Brubaker and Phillips could clearly build on. With their last two books. Where The Body Was and Night Fever they have now shown they are not bound to any specific genre. They’re like an unstoppable force and one we are just lucky we can be swept away by….
My rating 10/10 – Superb!!
Where The Body Was is now available.
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