Mortal Coils: Bodylines

    (Red Eye, 2004)
™ and © Red Eye

First story: A grief counselor is haunted by his mother’s death. Second story: A cure for Alzheimer’s is worse than the disease. Equipped only with a loose theme and these two simple premises, Lewis builds a remarkably solid pair of contrasting stories exploring the emotional pain induced by the death, or lack thereof, of a loved one.

Given its 11-page length, “Of Things Passed” is a surprisingly complex story, told in part via the narrative of one of the counselor’s own patients, a shy, pseudo-yuppie who’s dealing with the death of his own mother. The complexity is embellished by Narvaez’ Adrian Tomine-like precise facial expressions and backgrounds, with a few David Hahn-type paranormal touches.

“Remembrance,” the book’s second installment, lacks the artistic embellishment of the first, but it’s actually the better story. In the face of a medical miracle, Lewis takes an emotionally wrenching look at the downside of such a miracle: that full restoration of a mind thought gone would bring forth forgotten memories, not just good ones. It’s a troubling tale that could be construed as a cautionary one: Even the most wondrous things can come with unpleasant consequences.

Lewis is a writer to watch; his understated style conveys his point without pretentious blathering or hitting the reader over the head. The artists show promise, as well, especially Narvaez, and few new writer-artist teams demonstrate such a delicate balance between word and line. This comic has been out for a few months but it’s worth seeking out.

— Jim Johnson
Jump to issue:
  • 1
    #1
    Aug 2002
    Cover: $2.50
    W: A. David Lewis  ·  A: Evan Quiring
    1 copy for $2.50
  • 2
    #2
    Jan 2003
    Cover: $2.50
    W: A. David Lewis
    B&W
    1 copy for $1.99
  • 3
    #3
    Jun 2003
    Cover: $2.50
    W: A. David Lewis  ·  A: Jason Narvaez, Evan Quiring
    B&W
    1 copy for $2.99
  • Bk 1
    Book #1
    Cover: $16.95
    W: Mark Waid, A. David Lewis, Josh Splansky  ·  A: Evan Quiring, Jason Copland, Jason Narvaez, DaFu Yu, J.K. Woodward, Jesús Barony, Maria Sundqvist, Jean Paul Torres, David Yurkovich, Chris McJunkin
    1 copy for $9.50