CREDIT: Image Comics
Rating: 4/5 – The Beginning of a Mystery That May Question the Nature of Reality.
by Comic Spectrum EiC Bob Bretall.
The Blue Rose is not something that occurs in nature (except as a genetically modified variant) and as a result has come to symbolize mystery. What we have here, from Warren Ellis and Tula Lotay is, on one level, a mystery. Ellis excels at weaving a mysterious tapestry laying down random threads that coalesce into a complete narrative image over the course of the story he’s telling, so this is familiar territory for him and his fans.
In this series we follow Diana Dane, an investigative reporter, who is hired by Darius Dax to pursue a “blue rose case”. To find out something that may well be ‘unfindable’. The story is, of course, in classic Ellis fashion, a bit more nuanced than that. We’re treated to a dream reality (or is it?), a man named Ruben with a most interesting ‘birth defect’, and a host of other wonderful moments tied together with fascinating dialogue and it all combines to make a very interesting start to a series.
The art by relative newcomer Tula Lotay is delicate and lyrical. the design work involved in each page and grouping of images with streaks and blurs of color superimposed over the art is something that adds an element of charm to her art and makes it stand out from what most other artists are producing. She does mention in the back matter that she transitioned from traditional inks to digital near the end of the issue. The lines that make up Diana’s face on the last page seem to be a bit thicker/darker than those on pages 2 & 3, for instance, and I’ll be interested to see issue #2 done completely digital as a point of comparison to #1. Will we see a return of the fine lines we get defining the figures in the 1st part of this issue? Time will tell.
I struggled with the rating for this issue. I loved it, writing and art, but at it’s core it has laid only the very first few breadcrumbs out for us of what will ultimately be a trail to the conclusion of this story. Supreme: Blue Rose is highly recommended, well worth trying, and I’m going to be along for the ride as Diana Dane pursues her blue rose case to it’s ultimate conclusion.
Reviewed by: Bob Bretall
(bob@comicspectrum.com)
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