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“Touching Evil #2” by Marc Alan Fishman – Snarky Synopsis | @MDWorld

August 18, 2013 Marc Fishman 0 Comments

 

644214_496752767074955_1775362585_nWritten and Drawn by Dan Dougherty, Colors by Wesley Wong

The last time around I cracked open Dan Dougherty’s ‘Touching Evil’, I made sure I was of clear mind. You see, for those who know me… ole’ Dan and I? We’re nemeses. He’s taller than me. He’s faster than me. He lives 10 minutes away. And pencil to my forehead? He can draw circles around me. So, you see, I had to take a step back in order to enjoy the first issue of his new mini-series. Well, as I’ve no doubt you’ve already read said review, you must be all set for me to come back for the second issue, with teeth sharpened and ready to strike.

Nope. Still love this series.

Not to repeat myself too much, ‘Touching Evil’ shared a kindred spirit with Image’s Revival, and the like. The series is a midwestern serialized drama with a touch of the supernatural, with a focus on character-driven motivations, and a tonality that is not all crazed dramatic speeches and screeches. Dougherty chooses to serve us the next slice of his Evil pie with a subdued palate both in words and in pictures. But unlike issue one—which felt like a car being inspected before the trip got under way—issue two lurches the story straight into drive.

 

 

Where were we? Oh yes. Ada Mansfield (who I could swear was name dropped in Anchorman or Talladega Nights, the way her name just rolls off the tongue…) was shot, thrown in a trunk, and being taken to a shallow grave. But, it would seem the curse she done got herself a part of, has given her Wolverine like healing ability. Unlike the fuzzy Canuck, Ada (and those who have carried the curse-in-question) also absorbs the souls of those she kills with but a touch. Hmm. It’s like Rogue gave Logan a big bear hug, eh? I jest.

The issue gets underway with strings of scenes that eventually dovetail wonderfully. Ada, on her quest to save her son. Ada’s boss, Vincent Doyle, is given a bit of bad news, medically speaking. And elsewhere back in the prison where Marvin Penn, former accursed inmate, finds a way to finally free himself off this mortal coil. Add in some low-rent hitmen, a graveyard chase, and a caring elderly neighbor? And you cap off a ton of movement for a single issue.

Dougherty’s scripting continues to shine best when it comes to pacing. Scenes never linger, and dialogue is rarely wasted. And where I found a few voices in #1 a bit cheeky, here, with the drama being taken to 11, nary a word balloon left me with anything snarky to say. That of course, is a rare occurrence. The best scenes still exist within the prison walls. Penn’s creepy voice lands somewhere between John Coffey, and Red Redding. Of course it’s hard not to feel a little ‘Shawshank’ and ‘Green Mile’ when the book’s major set piece is a prison. The teen scenes also shine, as Dan’s pen knows how to touch on the angst and fearlessness of youth. The only time things feel shaky take place with Ada (both in her mind, and her own scenes). Because of all the ‘newness’ of her mental prison, and the constant action… there’s little to mine within the dialogue—because everything being said must revolve around the action within the panel. In other words? When the ‘Touching Evil’ forgets it’s a comic, not a screenplay… it’s only good, not great.

Artistically, Dougherty delivers the same beautiful suburban sprawl as in issue one. He’s unafraid to create beautiful environments to play in, and bath them in details. With a slightly heavier pen than the last issue (which I found out shifted a bit between Dan and colorist Wesley Wong), there was a point early on where things felt slightly different. Not for the better, nor for the worse. Simply… different. That being said, once again Wong’s palette elevates the pen-work to Revival-esque heights. Rather than be cool, chilling, and barren as it’s Image step-kin, ‘Touching Evil’ is warmer, darker, and scarier around the edges. All this, without any real gore to speak of. That in and of itself is something to linger on. And because I have the power to shape all reality with my snark, Dougherty even delivered several splash-esque pages this time around. They add to the drama, and show off his truest talent—being able to slow a moment down and play with time enough to make the Clock King blush.

Ultimately, Dan Dougherty serves up another great chapter in a series with plenty of meat left on the bones. With a pitch to be put out quarterly, I’d highly recommend nabbing a copy while supplies last. With a pulsing-plot with tons of twists left to explore, and a well-drafted art style that plays the material as straight as it is dark… Touching Evil is a continued example of what Marvel and DC will continue to miss in the marketplace. Damn you nemesis. Damn you.

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