REVIEW: Fatale #12
Story: Ed Brubaker
Art: Sean Phillips
Color: Elizabeth Breitweiser
Cover: Sean Phillips
Fatale #12 is the second in a series of one-shot flashbacks, this issue set in thirteenth century France. The story is cryptic, but engaging at the same time. Brubaker’s tone within the third person narration gives the book an overall feeling of hopelessness that compliments the action occurring in the narrative perfectly.
The protagonist of this issue is named Mathilda. She possesses the same qualities as the femme fatale, Jo, that we have been spending time with throughout the series. This means she is incredibly beautiful, and seems to have the ability to somehow activate this beauty as a force, which allows her to control the minds of men. Perhaps most importantly, she does not age, and might be immortal. Brubaker is relentless with Mathilda reminding the reader at every turn that this “gift,” of beauty is a burden that she does not fully understand.
One might question how the crime noir storytelling and art pair with this new setting. Somehow Snow White Noir works. The heavy-handed amorphous nature of the art from Phillips and new colorist, Elizabeth Breitweiser add to the heartbreaking tone of the book.
The creative team accomplishes a great feat here; by making their voices feel at home in the dark ages on another continent, while maintaining the trademark style of the series. This book can stand alone, but readers committed to the series should know that its events will matter in the long run.
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