Thought Bubble
Darkness from Warsaw’ deftly fuses spy fiction with horror comics
Review by LEE CLARK ZUMPE USE THOUGHT BUBBLE SIG
| Article published on Monday, March 16, 2009 |
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| “Darkness from Warsaw,” Panel Press, 2009. |
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Published by Panel Press, the 66-page perfect bound comic “Darkness from Warsaw” presents a standalone story based on two characters introduced in the miniseries “Death, Cold as Steel.”
Estelle and Norris, associated with an organization called Special Qualities Research Laboratory, find themselves involved with an art conservator who worked with American forces at the end of World War II in recovering and restoring Europe’s greatest masterpieces. The man, Petrie, reports bouts of somnambulism and other peculiar behaviors which he believes are somehow connected to time spent in war-ravaged Warsaw.
Bram Meehan’s story is a perfect blend of history, espionage and supernatural horror. Told in flashback form, the story provides an intriguing glimpse at the evolution of SQRL while delivering a compelling tale that thrives on its own devices. Rife with Nazi intrigue, Cold War cloak-and-dagger sequences and a liberal dose of Lovecraftian cosmic horror, “Darkness from Warsaw” is wickedly beguiling.
Jamie Chase’s noir-tinted illustrations immediately conjure up memories of classic “Creepy” and “Eerie” magazine issues, the panels dripping with shadow and haunted by malevolence and mysteries. Chase dutifully captures true horrors as well as imagined ones, as is vividly depicted in his portrayal of the ruins of Warsaw following the Luftwaffe’s relentless bombing campaign.
The book’s back pages offer brief character profiles and excerpts from Chase’s sketchbook, including the development of his place settings. Also included is a biography of those involved in creating the graphic novel, including Chase, Meehan and letterer and book designer Monica Meehan.
One particularly interesting component of “Darkness from Warsaw” is that it inadvertently showcases an almost forgotten aspect of history. The Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives Program, a partnership between the Allied armies, did, in fact, exist and assisted in the defense and restoration of cultural property in war areas during and following the war. A note in “Darkness from Warsaw” indicates that a nonfiction graphic novel featuring the so-called Monuments Men is in the works as Panel Press.
Visit www.panelpress.com.
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Article published on Monday, March 16, 2009
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