Fatale, Book 1: Death Chases Me

I really loved this comic book. Unlike most comic books, this one has me guessing nonstop and even it ended with a cliffhanger. It felt like watching a film noir movie more than reading a comic book. Like one of those moves staring Veronica Lake and Alan Ladd. However, unlike film noir movies, this has a H. P. Lovecraft twist. With the tentacles and the occult included. But who is Josephine? She is the reasons to keep reading this comic book. As her character suggests, she draws you into the story craving for more.I have to admit I never read a comic by Image or the Brubaker/Phillips team. Sean Phillips' art really sets the mood: dark and mysterious. Makes you feel like your watch a film noir as I mentioned before. I am fussy with comic book art, but this one fits with the story. His covers are all great too. They look like posters for the film noir movies. I mainly wanted to read this comic because of Ed Brubaker. I really loved his run on Catwoman and missed his writing style. He knew how to write crime/mystery comics I always thought. He can write horror too I guess.Fatale I would highly recommend to anyone who reads good comic books. Sure, this does not have the popular superheroes or science fiction, but it has good horror, mystery, crime, art, and writing. The story may be confusing at first, but everything makes sense at the end. Just who is Josephine and what make us drawn to her?

Brubaker and Philips hit onto something here, although having shotgunned the entire series, I see weaknesses in the beginning that I probably would not have seen if I read it episodically. Brubaker and Philip's noir sensibilities come down even through the art which mimics earlier comic levels of saturation and lettering which looks more akin to pre01990s hand lettering. The effect is that the comic feels as pulpy as a contents and yet is also artful in its adherence to the genre. Beginning in the 1940s, the classic area of neo-noir with the flashback story and building in both directions.What bothers me about the book that is apparent in this first volume but becomes a more looming problem as the book goes on: are we suppose to really sympathize with Josephine and the men who become obsess with her? The reasons why are never completely fleshed out, and while we see Josephine in multiple times at the same age in the book, there is no payoff for this in a complete and satisfying way either in this volume or the series as a whole.While this grabbed me, and while I was interested in the characters, it didn't feel like the balance between noir, where Brubaker and Philips are obviously the most comfortable, and Lovecraftian horror really even mixed well and this let to a strange tone where I can't tell if we are suppose to read the heroes and heroine as sympathetic. I don't mind unsympathetic or even ambiguous protagonists, but I do have a hard time if I don't know if it is supposed to be ambiguous.Still the concepts in the book are interesting, the art is amazing, and the dialogue is strong and appropriately pulpy. It's a very adult book, but doesn't feel extremely exploitative. I suppose it just feels like it could be more.

I'm a fan of a good story and I love good art. This series has both. The first one has definitely left me ready to purchase the second one immediately. The story is very "noir" and dark while at the same time fun. It's a unique take on what could be a very easily cheesy subject of "others out there in this world with us". The book avoids cliche and really puts a new spin on a strong female lead who is a little bit mystery and a whole lot of sex appeal. It's just a really good series and one I strongly suggest you give a chance.

Fatale, Book 1, Death Chases Me is the first book in a series almost four years old, which is damn near ancient for an independent comic. Collecting the first five issues of Fatale, Death Chases Me blends horror, mystery, and noir, telling the story of Nicolas Lash, a present-day family friend of a dead novelist, who meets an ageless woman. And in 1956, that same woman meets reporter Hank Raines, the aforementioned novelist who looks to find out her secret, and why people around her often turn up dead.This title sat on my shelf for over a year before I finally read it; a lot of good books do. Hell, I never read The Brothers Karamazov until a few weeks ago, and I was inspired to try this book after reading The Fade Out, a terrific series also by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. The first book of Fatale isn't as good as The Fade Out's first book, but it's wonderful and different on its own, and I will continue to read it. ****1/2

This 1st trade reminded me a lot of the HBO series Carnivale. It takes its time setting up a dreary atmosphere and a mystery wrapped up in an enigma. It's very creepy and incredibly engaging. Having said that, if you're someone who likes to have most everything spelled out for you, this not the comic you should be reading.

Ed Brubaker is a great writer. His stories are always really engaging, with interesting characters and decent dialogue. He likes to play the long game with his books, which means the stories tend to be revealed slowly with not a whole lot going on. Plenty happens in this first volume of Fatale, but it is just beginning to scratch the surface.Jo is the most interesting part of this book. She is the titular fatale and she gets wrapped up in all the different storylines. My problem is that she is kept to the sidelines. I wanted more of her story, but I got to read more about all of the different men that she has been involved with.The cult aspect is pretty good. It doesn't push things too far, and for the majority of the book it doesn't delve into the fantastic. But I want more of that too. It makes the setting much more interesting to have that supernatural element creep in. As things are, the book didn't interest me enough to seek out volume two, but it is quality work from Brubaker and Phillips.

My favorite creative team in comics delivrers once again. Overall Fatale is not my favorite title from them, but still a solid read that kept me intrigued all along. Recommended for Ed Brubaker fans, and anyone who enjoys the Criminal series, or any series from Brubaker and Philipps.

Típico relato al estilo del cine negro. Se lee fácilmente pero es tan clasicón..... se han visto tantas veces esas posturas y esa relación entre los personajes, que pierde su originalidad. El aliciente sobrenatural salva el producto. Esta bien.

A great read from a superb creative team. Everything from the writing, inks and colours capture the noir fell excellently. Would recommend to both comic book fans and also fans of the genre. A+

Große Klasse. Schön. Spannend. Vol. 2 ebenfalls. Verfilmung bietet sich an.Eine geheimnisvolle Frau, die nicht altert, bizarre Ritualmorde, Typen, die nicht sind, was sie scheinen, Geschichten innerhalb von Geschichten...

Les insatiables Brubaker & Phillips sont de retour, cette fois chez Image Comics, avec encore une nouvelle série, qui fait suite à 'Sleeper', 'Criminal' et 'Incognito'.Ce TPB recueille 5 comic books qui gardent des séries précédentes le côté "roman noir" en ajoutant cette fois les dimensions de la magie noire, de l'occultisme et de l'horreur. Dashiell Hammett rencontre H.P. Lovecraft ! A San Francisco !Particulièrement rodée, la paire Brubaker/Phillips est complétée par l'excellent coloriste Dave Stewart pour un récit qui, une nouvelle fois, souligne le caractère faillible de l'espèce humaine et le don particulier des mâles pour se laisser entraîner dans d'incroyables désastres par quelque représentante irrésistible de la gent féminine ! "Noir", pour sûr !Ce premier volume ne fait qu'introduire la malédiction qui fonde la série, et le récit du destin de ses victimes au fil du temps, mais le savoir faire des auteurs a tôt fait de vous rendre "addict", comme d'habitude.