Fatale #18
Story by Ed Brubaker
Art by Sean Phillips
Review by Mara Wood
Fatale continues to embody the spirit of noir and horror with each issue. After Jo kills the drummer of the group she’s staying with when he tried to rape her, the emotions of the men and women around her escalate to a breaking point.
Jo’s presence can have a variety of effects on those around her, from feelings of lust to violence. The band members she has been staying with feel her in different ways, from jealousy to desire to aggression. Jo is slowly tearing their lives apart, and she exhibits no intention of leaving. While she does feel safe around her friends, she has that creeping feeling that her past is about to catch up with her yet again.
With the death of their drummer, the band must rely on something else to distract from his absence during the music video shoot. Jo provides the perfect distraction. As the solo dancer, her passion for the music exudes over the crowd, but it creates even more trouble for the crew.
Fatale is not an easy book to jump in on at any point. Rather, it rewards its readers with a deep, emotional story over a long period of time. For new readers to the series, consider picking up the first three trades and waiting for the fourth one (December 18th, not a long wait at all). This is a story that will stick to your ribs and keep you satisfied. Each individual issue has revealed more and more about Jo’s past, and I have a feeling that we’re not going to like what we find.
THE VERDICT
This particular issue of Fatale is great. While it deals with the aftermath of Skip the drummer’s death, it sets the scene for the final issue of this story. Things get really complicated at the end of the issue, and you won’t want to miss out on how Jo plans on getting out of this one.
