Bedlam #8 Review
Writing: Nick Spencer
Art: Ryan Browne
Review by Melissa Megan
Bedlam loves to open with a good, old fashioned flashback. Good thing Madder Red has had some intense and psychotically weird experiences to flash back to, so these never get old. This time we look back twelve years and see police super hero The First being pummeled by Madder Red’s thugs. On stage, the main attraction is an inspired display of confession, forgiveness and blessing. No one offers forgiveness and redemption quite like Madder Red does!
In the present day Fillmore Press accompanies Detective Acevedo on another crime scene investigation with a big body count and lots of flames. We meet political superstar Matt Severin and his corporate money boss mother. Not exactly sure where they stand in the current criminal mastermind’s plans, but you can be sure it will be brutal, as that is the Bedlam way. It’s obvious that all the exposure to crime and mayhem is messing with Fillmore’s carefully controlled internal demons. He’s showing some cracks and I can’t wait to see the moment of reconciliation with his alter ego, Madder Red.
By the end of this issue, the bad guy behind the carefully planned fires introduces himself, sort of, and the investigation really gets moving. It’s creepy and thick with tension. Bedlam will always deliver surprises and merciless violence when Fillmore eventually works out the process and identity of the murderer. The art of Ryan Browne has worked seamlessly here, making the transition from Riley Rossmo’s vision very easy. I love the speed that Bedlam has picked up, dropping a new criminal puzzle every few issues and letting Fillmore’s slow disintegration keep the suspense tight.
Verdict: I hope you’ve been reading Bedlam all along, if not you’ve lots of catching up to do. This is definitely a favorite of mine right now. It’s got more genuine madness than can be contained in the pages, with well written characters and excellent art to match.
