The Fade Out #6

by RobertJCross on May 21, 2015

Written by: Ed Brubaker
Art by: Sean Phillips

Man oh man oh man oh man. Can this comic get any better? I don't think it can, no matter what you did. Everything is so on point in every panel and on every page that you'd think that it was created by some sort of magic. This issue picked up from the last amazing issue and the constant search for Val's killer. Charlie was on the hunt in a more non-sequitur sort of way instead of how Gil was going about it. But of course Gil has less to lose because he's already annexed from Hollywood. Charlie continues his search though...and may have concluded his...we'll see.

Brubaker's embarrassment of every other living writer continues this issue. Dialogue is tight, plot is dense, characters are rich. Beyond that you don't need much. Charlie is his most dynamic character as he is constantly at war with his own guilt for not "saving" Val before she was killed, so he asks questions. Gil on the other hand is quiet as a mouse and works the murder with his cunning and intellect, no questions necessary. But they're both writers, not police officers, which makes it even more interesting. Could writers figure out M.O.s and motives before the police because of their foresight? Brubaker hints at it.

If Michelangelo or Da Vinci were alive today, they'd probably study Sean Phillips' art in this comic for ideas. It's too good. I'm afraid to see what he does to get in the zone to draw these amazing panels because it must be incredibly strenuous. He has to get his mind into another time and a whole other world beyond modern Hollywood, though a few things never change. Each panel is super authentic though and having grown up in Hollywood as a child, I liked seeing landmarks where they're supposed to be. Adds to Phillps' immense talent. Amazing stuff.

If you haven't started buying/reading this series, I can't recommend it enough. A true classic.

Our Score:

10/10

A Look Inside