Fatale #16

Sean Phillips is amazing, as always. He draws the cracks of the world -- the rundown lowlifes of society -- better than anybody. Fatale looks lived in, like it's about to decay. There are no clean lines or dignified characters, just darkness and desolation. Elizabeth Breitweiser helps build the world with her subtle color work. There's a range of purples and pinks that give the issues a feeling of constant sunset, like darkness is always right around the corner, just a moment away. Issue #16 of Fatale is a thing of beauty. Read Full Review

The Brubaker-Phillips dynamic is nothing new, but it's nice to see that it gets better with age. Phillips' art has never looked so good. Despite the thick inks he uses to create the noir, gritty atmosphere of the book, his work has never been so transparent. Characters expressions have never been so…well, expressive. And his ability to give this series a look and feel completely unique to almost any other book on the market is a great example of the incredible amount of talent he possesses.Fatale continues to rank among the best series currently being published, and for those of us that have seen work from Brubaker and Phillips, that doesn't really come as all that much of a surprise. Read Full Review

Long time readers or any one interested in checking this title out will have no problem enjoying this issue. Read Full Review

he only real downside, if one could call this a downside at all, is how dense the story is. The narrative has spanned centuries at this point and absolutely nothing has been spoon-fed to the audience. The very first issue of Fatale gave me enough to know that this story was going to be a slow burn. And, I definitely got the impression that my experience would improve when I went back and occasionally reread the stuff that came before as the series progresses. This comic demands patience and it rewards repeated scrutiny. Read Full Review

The slow burn nature of Fatale gives us little bits at a time without making the reader feel that they are not getting enough. If anything, Fatale makes the bread crumbs feel like a feast that ultimately keeps us satisfied until the next time dinner is served. Read Full Review

The last couple of stories all follow Lance's roommates. Skip, Jon, and Tom all have an obsession with Jo. They are trying to hide it for Lance. Their stories are all different, so it wasn't boring to read. I have no idea where this issue will go but most of the times these stories end with a lot of blood. So I am guessing some people will die. It isn't too hard to guess. What is harder is why Jo has turned evil in my mind. I think it is because she is fucking up a group of friends for what gain. The comic makes it looked like she is doing it in order to get the band back, but how many issues am I going to justify her before I realize that she is trouble. Read Full Review

Brubaker and Phillips have approached the femme fatale with such fervor and depth that FATALE is turning into a master class on the archetype. It doesn't matter that Jo's game ultimately plays out the same way with so many men; the repetition is welcome, rather than stale, because there's a twisted comfort in seeing it happen time and again, reinforcing her sexy, destructive role and highlighting the hopelessness of remarkable and unremarkable men alike. It's impossible to avert our eyes at the impending disaster -- possibly because we're charmed by Jo, too. Read Full Review

Fatale #16 is not perfect but it is a highly entertaining and even thought provoking outing. Recommended. Read Full Review

Although this issue is mostly set-up for the death and pain we can see coming, writer Ed Brubaker teases us with an oppressive foreboding that's contradictory the the sunny nature of “Jane Doe” who doesn't even realize how effortlessly she's going to ruin the lives of everyone in the house. Worth a look. Read Full Review

GreyMouser

Aug 09, 2013

. . $3.50, 24pgs + 4pgs Prv! Classy B - cover. close enough to NO ADs! . . Fatale returns after a bit of a production lull, but they give as a great issue with a little extra for pages. Except for an occasional panel, Phillips and Breitweiser give as excellent artwork and colors that make this book special. Brubaker also continues to show his love for this project and his craft. Despite being set in the 90's and Jo's amnesia and a very bad cop and fresh storyline have me hooked! Just need to see more of limpy and creatures and ill stay on monthly for a long time to come! Highly recommended.