Kevin Sutton
Mar 16, 2008, 03:47 pm
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/image/gutsville03lg.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/image/gutsville03.jpg" hspace=10 align=left alt="Gutsville #3"></a>Reviewer: Kevin Sutton, kevinsutton@cheerful.com
They live in a whale… aren’t they all Nosunmen?
Story Title: Part Three: Deglitition
Story: Simon Spurrier
IArt and Letters:Frazier Irving
Featuring: Boo Cook
Published by: Image Comics (http://www.imagecomics.com/)
After a not-inconsiderable delay, Gutsville returned to the shelves this week, with its third installment. Regrettably, the half way point of the story isn’t really apt to answer more questions than it raises for the attentive reader. In this third issue, the revolution gets well underway, we’re privy by-way-of Emelia to the origins of Gutsville, and Albert comes face to no-face with the Nosunman.
The art in this issue seems to have declined somewhat in definition from the previous installments. It still retains it’s off coloured and washed out appearance, but this issue’s heavy action emphasis leaves less room for details and subtlety. There’s also a scene where the Nosunman’s rampage is meant to contrast with Lord Rathbone’s experience deep in the bowels of the whale, (well probably throat-- Albert and the Nosunman are in the bowels) but the art is both distracting and too obviously trying to connect two otherwise unrelated events. Separately though, the Nosunman is an excellent monster; designed to be both creepy and surreal.
The plot of this issue is pretty straightforward and devoid of surprises, which is pretty disappointing I’ll admit. After their terrifying encounter with the Nosunman, Mary and Albert give timely aid to the rebellion which has come up short against the Pistonguards. Apparently clubs and knives are no match for large cyborgs. (Something that should have been considered beforehand, I’m sure) Mary’s use of modern firearms to turn the tide is a fairly common cliché in story’s that allow it, although here it’s given an appropriate stylistic twist through Mary’s misunderstanding of their full potential.
Lord Rathbone and his son commune with the Whale’s psychedelic innards, but there seems to be nothing more to it from their angle than idol worship –though the reader will still wonder what the deal is with the whale, Nosunman, and the human sacrifice. In this issue, Emelia gets the opportunity to read up on the secret history of Jonahtown, though there’s little in the hidden journal that will raises any eyebrows for any readers, as we’re already well appraised of the nature of Jonahtown and how a place like that could come to be.
I have high hope for this story to become something distinctly strange and wonderful, but it wasn’t in evidence in this issue. Plot-wise, this issue’s progression was pretty predictable, and we’re still left wondering on the more key questions of the story. Unfortunately, even the backup story is just making time, as it spends three and a half pages building up to a single gotcha moment which an astute reader probably could have figured out from the last installment. Overall, given the high quality of the previous two releases, I was disappointed in this issue, though its’ presentation still meets the higher standards expected. It felt as if it were just making time or just lacking when it came to upping the standards of trippy events. (Nosunman notwithstanding)
RATING:
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/ifull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/ifull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/ifull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/inone.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/inone.jpg
FIND this issue at X-WORLD and SAVE! (http://www.x-worldcomics.com)
They live in a whale… aren’t they all Nosunmen?
Story Title: Part Three: Deglitition
Story: Simon Spurrier
IArt and Letters:Frazier Irving
Featuring: Boo Cook
Published by: Image Comics (http://www.imagecomics.com/)
After a not-inconsiderable delay, Gutsville returned to the shelves this week, with its third installment. Regrettably, the half way point of the story isn’t really apt to answer more questions than it raises for the attentive reader. In this third issue, the revolution gets well underway, we’re privy by-way-of Emelia to the origins of Gutsville, and Albert comes face to no-face with the Nosunman.
The art in this issue seems to have declined somewhat in definition from the previous installments. It still retains it’s off coloured and washed out appearance, but this issue’s heavy action emphasis leaves less room for details and subtlety. There’s also a scene where the Nosunman’s rampage is meant to contrast with Lord Rathbone’s experience deep in the bowels of the whale, (well probably throat-- Albert and the Nosunman are in the bowels) but the art is both distracting and too obviously trying to connect two otherwise unrelated events. Separately though, the Nosunman is an excellent monster; designed to be both creepy and surreal.
The plot of this issue is pretty straightforward and devoid of surprises, which is pretty disappointing I’ll admit. After their terrifying encounter with the Nosunman, Mary and Albert give timely aid to the rebellion which has come up short against the Pistonguards. Apparently clubs and knives are no match for large cyborgs. (Something that should have been considered beforehand, I’m sure) Mary’s use of modern firearms to turn the tide is a fairly common cliché in story’s that allow it, although here it’s given an appropriate stylistic twist through Mary’s misunderstanding of their full potential.
Lord Rathbone and his son commune with the Whale’s psychedelic innards, but there seems to be nothing more to it from their angle than idol worship –though the reader will still wonder what the deal is with the whale, Nosunman, and the human sacrifice. In this issue, Emelia gets the opportunity to read up on the secret history of Jonahtown, though there’s little in the hidden journal that will raises any eyebrows for any readers, as we’re already well appraised of the nature of Jonahtown and how a place like that could come to be.
I have high hope for this story to become something distinctly strange and wonderful, but it wasn’t in evidence in this issue. Plot-wise, this issue’s progression was pretty predictable, and we’re still left wondering on the more key questions of the story. Unfortunately, even the backup story is just making time, as it spends three and a half pages building up to a single gotcha moment which an astute reader probably could have figured out from the last installment. Overall, given the high quality of the previous two releases, I was disappointed in this issue, though its’ presentation still meets the higher standards expected. It felt as if it were just making time or just lacking when it came to upping the standards of trippy events. (Nosunman notwithstanding)
RATING:
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/ifull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/ifull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/ifull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/inone.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/inone.jpg
FIND this issue at X-WORLD and SAVE! (http://www.x-worldcomics.com)