“Potter’s Field” is one of those frustrating comics. It’s great in all the ways a comic should be, but it seems like no one’s heard of it. It doesn’t even have a Wikipedia entry!
Written by Mark Waid
Illustrated by Paul Azaceta
Outside New York City is Potter’s Field, where the unnamed dead are buried. Now, a mysterious man has taken it upon himself to name the unnamed! Meet John Doe. He has no identity. He has no history. He leaves no fingerprints. Using a network of underground operatives who don’t know each other, he fights to save the unsaved and solve the mysteries of the unjustly slain!
112 pages /$24.99 (HC) $14.99 (SC)
Mark Waid is known for his superheroes: Flash, Captain America, Fantastic Four, Irredeemable. Put his name on a cape & tights book, and it’ll sell. Why is it, then, his terrific crime comic is a virtual unknown?
The premise is simple. In New York, there’s a cemetery reserved exclusively for unknown bodies. Tombstones have numbers instead of names. One man, known as John Doe, makes it his business to find out who’s buried where. Utilizing a network of contacts in security firms, morgues, police departments, newsrooms, and more, he uncovers the mystery of each tomb. Once he has a name, he chisels it onto the stone. The setup allows for almost limitless storytelling, as each grave could be anyone, dead for any reason. This collection contains two separate tales. One is three-part story; the other is a one-shot.
It shouldn’t surprise you to know Waid does great dialogue and develops his characters well, if you haven’t read any of his previous works. Like other masters of the mystery genre, Waid reveals his mystery early. Within the first six pages, he gives away everything. The trick is knowing what’s important, and you won’t until the very end. It makes for a very satisfying second (and third), since you’ll pick up new clues every time.
Unlike the average episode of CSI, NCIS, or some other alphabet-soup procedural show, the twists in “Potter’s Field” hold up under close scrutiny. There are no sudden reveals which add drama but create plot holes. There are numerous turns and subplots throughout the narrative, and they all give depth to John Doe and his supporting cast. Nothing is superfluous or fluff.
The chapter breaks are obvious, but they avoid the hiccups of repeated dialogue or art. Both issue one and two end with, essentially, a character about tell a story to Doe. After the break, the narrative switches from a linear story to a flashback as the story is told. While not the smoothest transition, it works without breaking the pace too much.
Azaceta’s art fits the mood perfectly. The rough line work evokes the seedy nature of Doe’s investigations, and Nick Filardi’s colors add amazing textures to the clothes and walls, increasing the rough appearance without sacrificing clarity. His work is especially good in the outdoor scenes where he gets to add lights to the dark city and alleyways. While stylized, it seems to perfectly capture the essence of harsh streetlights.
The weakest part of “Potter’s Field,” and perhaps one reason it seems so unknown, is the covers. J.G. Jones supplied them, and they’re anything but eye-catching. The subdued colors and heavy shadows are great for the interior story, but these would be easy to over look when put on the shelf with glossy pinups of superheroes. The gorgeous image used for the collection cover is a definite improvement.
This volume comes with an introduction by Greg Rucka, who is under appreciated for his efforts on “Gotham Central,” “Punisher,” and “Stumptown.” It doesn’t reveal much, but does a decent job of exciting you for the upcoming stories. The volume ends with the original five page pilot script. There was a lot of rough edges which were smoothed over between the proposal and the final product.
The $25 price tag on the hardcover is a bit steep, but the softcover is a steal. Whichever route you go, the value is automatically increased because this is a book you will read multiple times.
Final Verdict: 8 – Buy it.
