Written by Mattson Tomlin
Art by Lee Bermejo
Published by BOOM! Studios
So let us get this out of the way immediately: This graphic novel features the best artwork that Lee Bermejo has ever done and that is saying something.
Anytime Bermejo is on a project that is more than just covers (his covers are AMAZING) it is an event and a cause for celebration. That certainly is the case here. Bermejo goes through MANY different art styles here and he excels at all of them.
Honestly, each of them are beautiful to look at, absolutely jaw dropping and gorgeous. I was floored by a lot of it. For his artwork alone, it is worth the price of admission.
It took him three years to complete the project and every moment of those three years shows up on the page.
Writer Mattson Tomlin is no slouch either.
Tomlin has a lot of work both as a screenwriter and even director in Hollywood. (Tomlin is co writing the script for the new Matt Reeves Batman film and did a little work on the 2022 film) Both of them working together pretty much locked it in for me. I enjoyed this book from the very first page and it continued throughout the book. Tomlin had only sporadic comic book work until this point (I believe just a Batman miniseries) so it was really nice to see him cut loose here. And boy, does he cut loose!
From the top of the book, we are introduced to Shawn Thatcher.
Thatcher is a trained assassin from the future. Every time that he takes a life, he is thrown to either the past or the present with no control of it. Needless to say, this causes quite a conundrum for his life. Every time he goes to a new place, the art style changes with him as well as the tone of the narrative. Sometimes, later in the book, time periods and art styles overlap in a way that I have never seen before. It is a very innovative approach to this story and for creators use it for maximum graphic and emotional effect.
Thatcher finds himself inexplicably linked to another person in the same predicament that he is in named Ferris.
Ferris is portrayed as a monster from the start of the book. In the eyes of Thatcher, there is no one worse than Ferris. Thatcher even has a version of him locked up in his basement. He knows that Ferris is his enemy and he must try to stop him. But the motivations that Thatcher has start to become more and more grey as the book goes on.
Thatcher, for his part, is married and happens to live in the 1950’s.
He has a wife and a child and a whole life that is separate from his life as an assassin. He is nothing but happy and fulfilled except for his crazy job of hunting people and killing them. But the 1950’s and his life there is a place of steadiness for him. From that base point, he goes on his various missions. He is also trying to hunt down Ferris, the best that he can.
A lot of the graphic novel is basically Thatcher chasing Ferris across time and space and unraveling for the reader who they are as characters.
The second chapter sort of turns the entire concept on its head. I enjoyed the twisting nature of the narrative but could easily figure out where it was going by the end of the book. The third chapter belongs to Ferris and the conceit of the ending was reminiscent to me of the plot of the film Hancock. I do wish it was a bit more complex. As it stands, if is still completely excellent and the storytelling is great throughout.
A Vicious Circle is a strong read.
It is not as deep and unique as it wants or hopes to be, but it still makes for a fun and compelling read. The story is good and the artwork, again, is some of the most striking that I have ever seen. The creative team is a terrific one and it is great to see Lee Bermejo work with some other than Brian Azzarello on a long form narrative. (Not that their work wasn’t good, it is just refreshing).
Overall, this is one of the best works published by BOOM! Studios ever.
RATING: A
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