Fell #1

A trade paperback and hard cover comic book collection can often times be chalked-up to what was on sale at the local comic shop, local book store or comic convention. Trades and hardcovers add up when bought at full price, so smart weekly comic consumers need to look out for deals when it comes to large ticket items.

Fell, written by Warren Ellis, is a book I purchased when there was a 50% off any thing non Marvel or DC. Fell #1, specifically, is a nice introduction to Richard Fell, a homicide detective transferred to Snowtown, a city poverty stricken and dreary. Fell's skills as a detective are displayed during a scene in a bar in which he basically reads people he has never met. The comic of the day's detective Fell isn't necessarily an original character type, but he leads readers through a dark city which clearly has issues that feel real and interesting.

Alright, story aside, can we talk about the hands? The hands are creepy. Ben Templesmith draws these thin, skeleton-like hands which seem so disturbing every time they are in a panel. Templesmith's art highlights include his not overly descriptive yet surprisingly expressive faces and his presentation of the backgrounds in each panel. The back grounds take on a blurry decade setting which gives this detective based story a strong noir feel. Besides the Crypt Keeper hands, Templesmith's presentation of the Ellis story is perfect.

Oh, and if you pick up this trade...you have been warned. The hands will haunt you.