The Fall (Drawn and Quarterly)

    (Drawn and Quarterly, 2002)
™ and © Drawn and Quarterly

The Fall is a superbly written, taut suspense thriller from Ed Brubaker, and anyone who’s already read it will immediately attest to its worthiness as an Eisner Award nominee. Those who haven’t are depriving themselves of one of last year’s finest examples of storytelling.

Things start out simply enough, when a gas station attendant succumbs to the temptation of charging a few hundred dollars on someone else’s misplaced credit card. When he’s found out by his boss’ wife, she blackmails him into a life of servitude as her household’s handyman. And things are further complicated when he discovers something in her backyard that’s a key piece of evidence in a murder case from several years before.

Brubaker hits the mark on every aspect of the story; the plot, pacing, and characterization are all stellar examples of excellent storytelling. The resolution is a brilliant and poetic stroke of genius in the tradition of Alan Moore or Peter David. And, not to overlook the book’s visuals, artist Jason Lutes shows a firm grasp of such comic art as conveying facial expressions but stays away from complex shading and excessive detail. The result is a look that’s fleshed out enough to be attractive but simple enough to keep the story moving.

This story was overlooked by many, when it was serialized in Dark Horse Presents, but there’s no reason to miss it now. It’s award-worthy stuff, folks. Get it. Read it. Recommend it.

— Jim Johnson
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#1

February, 2001
Cover Price: $3.95
2 copies available from $9.99 		Ed BrubakerJason Lutes