Reviews
One of the best comics and old school crime stories I've read in a long time
Full disclosure: I received a free review copy of this book from Net Galley. The Fade Out is a tale of bad old Hollywood, when studios covered up all varieties of crime and young actresses faced near-constant sexual assault on the ladder to stardom. It definitely made me wonder how much has changed and how much has stayed the same since the 1940s, when this story takes place. Charlie Parish is a screenwriter with a few dark secrets who wakes up one morning after a debauched party to discover a promising young actress, Valeria Sommers, strangled in her own home. Charlie decides to get himself the hell out of there – hiding any evidence of his presence before he leaves – but when the movie studio he works for spins the murder as a suicide, Charlie’s guilt and horror only increase. Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips love a good noir. I haven’t read all of their work so far, but The Fade Out is one of their most grounded stories. It’s an unflinching look at the seamy underbelly of classic Hollywood, led by a conflicted non-hero who struggles to figure out what to do. The book also particularly focuses on the ways women were horribly mistreated during that time period, both in and outside the film industry. Brubaker’s dialogue crackles, Sean Phillips’ character designs are bold and spare, and Elizabeth Breitweiser’s colors are the perfect accent that brings it all home. Charlie views the world through thick round glasses that dwarf his face. His writing partner, Gil, slumps his way through every scene, rumpled and dissolute. Valeria and Maya, her lookalike replacement on the picture, both have fresh, open faces and expressive mouths that make it easy to imagine them as long-lost Hollywood starlets. Although The Fade Out starts with a murder mystery, it seems content to wander through old Hollywood, introducing a slowly expanding cast of characters without pushing Charlie into his ostensible role as citizen detective. It seems clear Brubaker is playing a long game and enjoying the scenery along the way. My only criticism is that the third issue features so much female nudity that it verges on the exploitative. It’s clear that Brubaker is criticizing a system that puts women into situations that force them to use their bodies as currency, but the amount of naked flesh on display begins to undermine his point. Even still, The Fade Out is an excellent slice of noir from creators working at the top of their game. Definitely worth checking out.
1,5owls.
This scratches my noir itch, but not in any novel way. The art didn't blow me away either which is odd, since I know Sean Phillips is usually great. (My guess is that they were going for a late 40s comic style?) I'm going to keep reading because I'm intrigued, but I'm not hook, line, and sinker yet.
** spoiler alert ** I knew this would have a noir ending (nobody wins, everything sucks), but I still was gunning for a happy ending. Stupid Brubaker, being a good writer.
Brubaker and Phillips are masters of the period piece. With this third act, they wrap up The Fade Out, an expose on the sleaze and sexism of Hollywood. The series has followed two writers as they look into the death of an actress, uncovering terrible secrets along the way. But this is not a happy ending. The writers stumble on things that people really want to remain hidden, and there is no comeuppance in the end for the true devils operating in Tinsel Town. Fade Out is a fantastic example of noir fiction with great art, and another solid hit from these creators.
There is something to be said about an author who manages to make a basic noir plot set in post-WWII Hollywood exciting. The genre has become so formulaic over the years it's pretty much become a cliché in itself: sex, drugs, scandal, murder, blah blah blah. Enter Ed Brubaker. I think I'm a little in love. I wouldn't say he did to the noir genre what he did to James Bond in Velvet (where clichés were appropriately shaken *and* stirred) but he came pretty close. Granted, the story has an unoriginal premise: a Hollywood writer wakes up in a strange place after drinking himself to oblivion and finds the dead body of an up-and-comic actress in the next room. Think this is boring and oh-so conventional? Don't yawn just yet! Because Brubaker is here to work his magic. I picked this up thinking I'd read a few pages and finish it the next day. Silly little me, I couldn't put it down. The characters are complex and the plot is compelling. What makes it really interesting is that Brubaker keeps adding new layers to the story as it progresses, giving it much more depth. Sean Phillips' art might not be as atmospheric as Steve Epting's in Velvet but it really adds to the noir setting. The panels are brilliantly laid out and the color scheme complements the story perfectly. This is pretty awesome stuff. And look at that cover! And at all the covers for the individual issues! I love them so much I'm actually tempted to buy each of them separately. Too bad my bank account doesn't agree. But I have to admit one thing really really really pissed me of here. That ending? Seriously? When I don't have volume 2 handy and have yet to order it?! You have got to be kidding me. How am I supposed to sit here and wait for 8 whole freaking days until it gets here?! Not so in love with you right now Mr Brubaker. I guess all that's left for me to do is to read Fatale while I bite my nails in frantic anticipation. Then again I could also reread James Ellroy's L.A. Quartet series. Yeah, that could definitely work.
Thoroughly enjoyed this. I don't really get why so many people gave it a pretty low rating. I'm even thinking about giving it 5 stars, but I'll see if it sticks with me for a while before I do so.
Eh. Not really a sattisfying ending.
