Bedlam #5

Bedlam is shaping up to be the best crime book on the stands. The characterization that Nick Spencer gives to his protagonist, Fillmore Press, is extremely unsettling. No book has ever made me question a character's motivation as much as Bedlam has. Each issue seems to send us teetering in one direction only to have us snap back to a different one by the end of the issue. That, coupled with the fact that Press is a rehabilitated mass murderer supervillain, makes for one of the tensest reading experiences you could ask for. Spencer has us constantly flashback to Press' rehabilitation phase, which is where another mystery arises, one you'll have to find out for yourself by reading the book. 

Riley Rossmo's art is absolutely fantastic. The reserved color pallet of red, black, and grey, the scratchy line work, Rossmo's art work nails the dark feel for the book. His art is decrepit and grotesque, a perfect fit for the book. Rossmo's colors really set the tone for each and every scene, adding a whole layer of tenseness and uneasiness to them that really ramps up the cerebral feel of the book. 

Spencer and Rossmo are a perfect pair,  Spencer can really get inside your head with his words, and that opens up the door for Rossmo to leave that lasting image in you. There's a lot of screwed up things that happen in this book without it being overtly exploitative or excessive. If you're looking for a smart thriller, you owe it to yourself to give this book a shot. I usually find it hard for comics to be suspenseful, but Bedlam seems to do it pretty damn well.