| SYNOPSIS: Jakita receives word that Jack Carter is dead, which has a different effect on each team member. "Good," says The Drummer. "Who?" says Snow. En route to the funeral, Snow learns that Carter, a former lover of Jakita's, was Planetary's window on England in the '80s, a period during which a lot of strange stuff occurred. Carter himself was skilled in the occult arts, as a story Jakita tells -- involving a shadowy (literally) government assassin being mystically dispatched with by a coldly righteous Carter -- grimly reveals. And the bizarre group of characters in attendance at his funeral ("They're eighties people," explains Jakita) gives credence to Jakita's statement that "Jack was everything you wanted London to be," even though the Drummer dismisses him as "a con man who pulled a scam once too often." Afterwards, they head over to the scene of Jack's death, and within five minutes the Drummer's ability to see magic ("it's just signal, just information, and that puts it in my ballcourt," he explains) tells them that the man faked his own death. Confirmation comes when his anguished, musclebound killer in spandex shows up to explain his reasons for doing the deed...and then Carter himself shows up to blast the man's chest open with a shotgun. Explaining that he faked his own death to get the drop on his "killer," he kisses Jakita goodbye, telling her the '80s are long over,"and it's time to move on." He then vanishes into the night. REVIEW: Diehard fans of '80s DC titles like Swamp Thing and Animal Man and perhaps the entire Vertigo line of titles -- including the hugely popular Sandman and, of course, Hellblazer are probably either thrilled by this issue, perceiving it as affectionate tribute, or offended, perceiving it as attack. There's a little of both here, although Ellis' intent is likely homage. The digs at the actual characters -- Swamp Thing, et al. -- are mild, whereas the true object of ridicule is the stereotypical superhero so outraged at the way his previously pure and innocent history was maligned and "updated" in the name of being "edgy." Is Ellis trying to tweak (former Swamp Thing writer) Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman (who makes a cameo appearance at the cemetery), and the whole of Vertigo? More likely he's making the rather bittersweet observation that that period of comics history, which he grew up with, has passed. "Time to move on." I won't pretend that I loved, or perhaps more importantly fully appreciated (or grasped) this issue. I have been at times a big John Constantine fan, and even if I weren't I'd have to be unconscious not to get Constantine adaptation -- who, at issue's close, remarks it's "time to be someone else," who Transmetropolitan fans will quickly recognize as Ellis's own anti-hero journalist Spider Jerusalem. A conceit? Or an acknowledgment of his influences for that series? Ellis could explain and may have already done so in the forums at his site or in one of his various columns.
In any event, that's why this issue, on the whole, didn't work for me. Too much about other characters, other creators, other comic books. Not enough about Planetary. In fairness, the title is about the secret history of the 20th century, and the '80s, England, and Vertigo are certainly part of it. I can't blame Ellis for writing about it. But it didn't reach me in the way that other issues have. | |  Random Thoughts: British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher really comes off well, doesn't she? It almost makes Dave Sim's rendition in Cerebus seem like a love letter. Okay, that's not true. But Ellis' memories of her aren't terribly fond. "Made poor people choose between eating and keeping their vote." Ouch. Great past tale about Carter, solid proof that Ellis should consider spending more time writing John Constantine than the brief run he did recently. Nice homage to the creator of the legendary Elric (presumably) with a "Moorcock" street sign. By far the highlight of this issue, for me, was learning more about what makes Jakita tick. "Jack was funny and smart and mysterious and sexy and scary....Jack was everything you wanted London to be." Cassaday's rendition of her passion when speaking of him, and then running to him when he turns up alive, is brilliant. "You're never what I expect, Jakita," says Snow. Her pained look is beautiful. Speaking of Cassaday, the cover is a perfect nod to years of Sandman covers by Dave McKean. The cemetery splash page, and the shadows that enfold Carter throughout the issue, are truly beautiful. Hats off to colorist David Baron, too. RATING: 7/10. Besides the glimpses into Jakita's character, and the great visuals, there wasn't that much here that truly compelled me. Except the thought that it would be great to see Ellis on Hellblazer again. |
