Advance Review: Bliss TPB

As I write this review, it is Father’s Day in the UK. How apt then that I looking at a book that pretty much encapsulates everything that a father would do for his son. This is the collection of the eight issue series from Image Comics. Now normally I am a “pro-floppy” kind of guy, but I think that that this book actually reads better in this trade format.

The narrative of the book is told from the perspective of Perry who regals a jury of city-folk of a tale of his murderous father, Benton, in an effort to explain Benton’s actions and reasons. It’s a heady tale of love, corruption, powerlessness with some William S. Borroughs style nuances and touches thrown in for good measure.

Award winning writer Sean Lewis crafts a tale that starts out as a desperate man doing desperate things in order to save his son. That part of the story is pretty much the glue that holds the book together and it is this part that may have the greatest resonance with readers. From there however, things get a little crazy, in an almost warped reality kind of way. Lewis introduces lords of the black market in Feral City. They have some jobs for Benton and if it all gets too much, then he can take some bliss, a drug that takes away all the bad memories. Lewis handles this switch between a grimy hard life and the more esoteric nature and characters of the story well. The dialogue is great; exposition could be a problem, but Lewis handles it well; the setting fo a court of sorts allows for the introduction of evidence, I mean story points.. There are a couple of times I am left to ponder how des Perry know so much when neither him or his father, were there but it doesn’t detract from the storytelling.

The art is supplied by Lewis’ former creator in crime, Caitlin Yarsky. Yarsky has a kind of cartoonist style of expression that should add comedy, or a lighter touch at least, to proceedings. However, apart from a couple of slapstick moments involving Perry’s grandfather and a gun, nothing could be further from the truth. Whilst there is a darkness inherent in the book, the chapters featuring Perry and his Mom are great pieces of emotional led storytelling. Yarsky gets to go nuts with the introduction of the three almost big bads before taking a subversive look down the rabbit hole toward the final chapter. All in all, a true catalogue of skills on show across the differing genres that Lewis’ strides across. Colorist Ari Pluchinsky does a great job in show just how desolate and depressing Benton’s world is. Pluchinsky gets to flex her considerable coloring talents in the final two chapter of the book where things tend to go to hell. There is no letterer credited, which is a shame as whomever completed this task delivers a nice easy font contrasting well with the heaviness of the story.

The title of the book feels like a bit of a misnomer, to be honest. Bliss the drug, whilst making several appearances and oft quoted, doesn’t seem to have a main focus. Could be more made out of a drug the helps you forget leading into a whole “ignorance is bliss’ style of truism? Maybe. But in its stead is book that pretty much covers the key elements of being a parent wrapped in in a very dark bow. How could we ever forget that?

Writing – 5 Stars
Art – 5 Stars
Colors – 5 Stars

Overall – 5 Stars

Written by; Sean Lewis
Art by; Caitlin Yarsky
Colors by; Ari Pluchinsky
Published by; Image Comics

Bliss TP is due to ship July 21st, 2021

Author Profile

Johnny "The Machine" Hughes

I am a long time comic book fan, being first introduced to Batman in the mid to late 70's. This led to a appreciation of classic artists like Neal Adams and Jim Aparo. Moving through the decades that followed, I have a working knowledge of a huge raft of characters with a fondness for old school characters like JSA and The Shadow

Currently reading a slew of Bat Books, enjoying a mini Marvel revival, and the host of The Definative Crusade and Outside the Panels whilst also appearing on No-Prize Podcast on the Undercover Capes Podcast Network