Fearless TPB Advance Review
Reviewed by David O' Leary
Story by: Mark Sable & David Roth
Art by: PJ Holden
Colours by: Nick Filardi
Letters by: Kristyn Ferretti
Cover by: PJ Holden
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $14.99
Release Date: November 9, 2011
From the creator of GRAVEYARD OF EMPIRES and GROUNDED comes the story of a literal man without fear. The vigilante known as Fear is a bold, even reckless superhero. He's also a man paralyzed by a crippling anxiety disorder who needs an anti-fear drug to fight his war on crime. Hell, he needs it just to get out of bed every day. So what happens when his drug supply runs out?
Reviewer's Comments:
This collected edition has been a few years in the making. Originally a four issue mini series published by Image Comics in 2007, it has taken four years for the book to be collected. Created by Mark Sable whose most recent book Graveyard of Empires has become one of the best series of 2011 and David Roth with art by PJ Holden, this tale of a vigilante who suffers from an anxiety disorder and relies far too heavily on an anti fear drug to overcome his disorder to parade around as Fear.
One of the things that the creators should be most proud of is that they have produced a book that deals with how a person who has a mental disorder and is reliant on drugs as books like these just aren't made with any frequency. It gives the book a real world air about it. But don't think that is what the book is entirely about because it isn't. It is also a rollicking action book that is littered with some great dialogue and feeling. The protagonist, Adam Rygert comes across as a rounded individual and the reader is guided with nice poise through his experiences relying on a drug that quells his fears right through to when that supply is on the verge of running out. His adventure in the book is quite faced paced but reaches its conclusion with some nice pacing and a satisfying ending.
Artist PJ Holden's qualities as a storyteller are well tested in the first chapter as said chapter is relatively dialogue free and Sable and Roth hand over the storytelling reigns to the Irishman and he does a sublime job. This excellent show of art continues right throughout the entire story as Holden makes the most of the book to showcase some nice blocks of pages that range from some nicely paced emotional pieces to balls to the wall action.
The book is coloured by Nick Filardi who may be familiar to some readers as the colourist of some issues of 28 Days Later that featured Declan Shalvey on art duties.
I'm surprised that it has taken so long for this book to be collected as it is a great story, it looks great and is an important story that deals with the affliction of a mental disorder through drug use. It goes on sale in November and I wholly encourage you to pick it up.
Rating the Issue
| Story Story: Overall 8 Concept - 8 out of 10 Plot - 8 out of 10 Dialogue - 8 out of 10 |
Art Art: Overall 8 Style - 8 out of 10 Storytelling - 8 out of 10 Colour/Tones - 8 out of 10 |
Importance Importance: Overall 8 To the Title - 8 out of 10 To the Company - 8 out of 10 To the Medium - 8 out of 10 |
Reviewer Bio
Name: David O' Leary
Email: idwfan@yahoo.co.uk
Bio: David has been with CR since June 2008 and started out as a reviewer and has expanded to do a couple of columns for the site also; starting with 28 Words Later with artist Declan Shalvey and later 5 Minutes With... where he talks with the industries best and brightest from Kubert to Moore.
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