Mortal Coils: Bodylines
(Red Eye, 2002-2004)
™ 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:
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Aug 2002
Cover: $2.50
W: A. David Lewis · A: Evan Quiring
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Jan 2003
Cover: $2.50
W: A. David Lewis
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Jun 2003
Cover: $2.50
W: A. David Lewis · A: Jason Narvaez, Evan Quiring
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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