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Nov 17, 2009 Web Exclusive By Jeremy Nisen

It might be appropriate that I had a bit of a fever when I was reading Luna Park, the new hardcover graphic novel from Vertigo/DC written by Kevin Baker and illustrated by Danijel Zezelj.

The art is indescribably beautiful—all at once stark and lush, grim and dreamlike, all the while evocative of the place-out-of-time of the story’s Coney Island setting. Dave Stewart’s always pitch-perfect coloring job certainly enhances the package, but Zezelj really outdoes himself here. Baker’s tale starts out contemplative, interesting, and powerfully; yet perhaps promises to be an almost by-the-numbers Russian mob tale. But it’s absorbing, and by the time the story begins to fracture into completely separate, yet related, narratives, it’s a little like a fever dream. You can’t control it. You may not understand it. But, boy, do you remember it, even if only the broad strokes.

Perhaps a touch more clarity would make for a more enjoyable read, but that may have been at the expense of provoking thought. The shifting narrative never quite comes home again, at least not for me. But this reduces it from “truly great” to “very good.”

Indeed, Luna Park is begging to be critically analyzed, clearly distinguishing it from, say, the latest issue of Spider-Man, or even something like Ed Brubaker’s Criminal. Both of which are indeed my cup of tea, but those are comparatively Tom Sawyer to Luna Park‘s Huckleberry Finn. Which, of course, is befitting an original graphic novel—you have the chance to do one-off, artistic endeavors, something not drowned by a never-ending serial or even an 8-part story that needs seven cliffhangers.

In a sense Luna Park is being judged by its ambition. Its rating is not to say I think it’s on the level of Batman: The Widening Gyre (also rated a seven). It’s a far superior work that merits spending much time poring over it for meaning—but it’s equally enjoyable, in the same way that you might like Die Hard as much or better than you like Schindler’s List.

Luna Park really is very good; I’d encourage readers to check it out and give us some feedback. It truly merits discussion, and the art alone is worth the price. (www.dccomics.com/vertigo)

Author rating: 7/10