• Reviews

• All
• Music
• DVDs
• Live
• Cinema
• TV
• Books
• Comic Books
• Video Games

Dec 07, 2009 Web Exclusive By Jeremy Nisen

Rac Shade, the madness-powered changing man, returns in another collection of the prototypical Vertigo series, building on the good base that was established in volume one. Shade the Changing Man Vol. 2: The Edge of Vision takes the weirdness of the first chapter to a freakier level; as the line between fantasy and reality blur, the unfettered power of Earth’s insanity causes, among other things, living garbage, a hippie Anti-Christ, a notable murderer’s return, and a fragment of Shade’s consciousness to be embodied as a giant fetus.

It’s the quieter revelations and continued developments that impressed in this one. Peter Milligan reveals more of Shade’s background, even as he further establishes the effete protagonist as a poet, a friend, and a hero. Kathy’s role as Shade’s confidant takes a depressing turn that fits the story beautifully, even if her affliction was telegraphed from a mile away. And Lenny-Shade and Kathy’s new friend-has a distinct personality and interesting role to play, along with her unique visuals. The further development of Chris Bachalo’s art is also interesting; at times the then-Bachalo begins to look like the modern one.

If there’s one misstep in the volume, it’s that one chapter is drawn by Bill Jaaska rather than Bachalo. Don’t get me wrong-Jaaska turns in very fine work here-but when everything up to and after it is Bachalo, it’s a jarring change. One of the wonderful things about Preacher, another lauded Vertigo series, is that it’s Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon from soup to nuts on the main title. But that is the nature of serialized fiction; often you need a fill-in artist, or even writer. Back in 1991, they probably weren’t thinking about the trade paperback edition that would take 18 years to come out. In any case, more delightfully disturbing and compelling work. (www.dccomics.com/vertigo)

Author rating: 8/10