Review: Jenny Finn #1 (of 4)
Taking a step back from all things Hellboy and B.P.R.D related, horror-meister Mike Mignola teams up with fellow writer/artist Troy Nixey to deliver a haunting fishy tale of terror in Jenny Finn.
From the docks of the city, a school of doom is netted and sent to market. Meanwhile at the local whore house, there seems to be more than a virulent strain of warts going around as another “customer” lies dead. Further into the slums of the city walks the enigmatic Jenny Finn; a young girl who had been seen in the company of the dead man; who offers solace to the old and infirm and who catches the eye of our erstwhile hero, Joe. Soon, Joe is leaving the comforts of a tavern, getting caught up in all manner of affairs, including the evils of man and a greater threat laden on the cobbled city streets!
As with a fair few of the Mignola-verse books, the writing is done by Mike Mignola and an accomplice, this time in the shape of Troy Nixey. The pair deliver a tale that wouldn’t seem out of place on the TV show Penny Dreadful. In both, monsters walk around in broad daylight, some easily recognisable by the virtues and acts of the ignorant. This is the first issues so there is the usual heavy setup elements. Whilst there is a need to explain things, the expositional elements of the dialogue does slow the pace of the book.  Joe is a likeable enough chap, full of good intentions waylaid by crowd mentality but through his eyes we will get to see the impacts of the horrors that have beset the city.
Troy Nixey also provides the art for the book, which starts out very similar in tone to the other books from this universe. Where Nixey excels is the caricature style of faces and frames of the characters. This particular style isn’t going to be for everyone at all. In fact, it took a second reading for me to get my bearings. Each artist has their own style, but I do wonder how much having Mignola as co-writer impacts artistic choices? Of course, you can’t say “Mignola-verse” without also thinking of Dave Stewart, who again supplies the colors, this time a washed out affair given the impression of a city devoid of the colors of life, despite its teeming masses. Truly death is at the front door!
This book is an interesting diversion from some of the more continuity fuelled books with a defined style that will no doubt split opinion. First impressions aside, the book does deliver the required horror that fans of Mike Mignola et al usually deliver.
For an interview with Jenny Finn writer/artist Troy Nixey, please Click Here
Writing – 4 Stars
Art – 4 Stars
Colors – 5 Stars
[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]
Written by; Mike Mignola & Troy Nixey
Art by; Troy Nixey
Cover Art by; Mike Mignola
Colors by; Dave Stewart
Published by; Dark Horse Comics
Author Profile
- 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
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