The Fade Out #1

By Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips & Elizabeth Breitweiser

It seems like just yesterday that this creative team just ended their miraculous run on the series Fatale. Readers need not worry though, because they are already back with the new series The Fade Out. Centering on the sleazy underbelly of the Hollywood movie business in the late 40’s, a screenwriter accidently finds himself deeply involved in a mysterious murder cover-up.

When it comes to writing crime stories, you would be hard pressed for finding anyone better than Ed Brubaker in the comics scene. However most of his stories are usually modern day crime fiction, so it’s nice to have the setting change to 1948 with The Fade Out. At this point it feels lazy to use works like “pulp” and “noir” when trying to review and describe Brubaker’s work. At this point his work speaks for himself; it’s become its own thing. The simple fact is, Ed Brubaker in an incredibly talented writer. He has paid his dues, made his name, and readers know what to expect when they see his name on a comic and that is quality.

Phillips art has always been an incredible treat for reader’s eyes. The Fade Out is not exception; in fact it almost feels like this was the perfect concept for Sean to draw. His art perfectly fits the tone you would expect out of a late 40’s crime story. The colors by Elizabeth Breitweiser also are crucial to helping transport the reader into the past with The Fade Out. It’s remarkable how she uses her palette to both shows the bright and glamorous dream of Hollywood, while still darkly alluding to how filthy reality is. This was an absolutely stunning looking issue from this art team.

The Fade Out hit a homerun right out of the gate. A talented group of creators, working together on a project they love always reflects off of the pages onto the readers. You can definitely feel the love in this comic; the love of the period, the love of the genre, and the love of the medium. Now that is a lot of love considering it’s coming from a dark murder mystery.