Not to be confused with the upcoming “Dia de Los Muertos” from Image Comics and Riley Rossmo, this unique one-shot from Challenger Comics is an old-fashioned revenge story with a lot of flair.
Written by Fabian Rangel Jr.
Illustrated by Juan RomeraIn the small border town of Los Muertos, sheriff’s deputy Carlos Garza is growing frustrated as the police department does nothing to combat a local drug lord’s rein of terror. Carmen, Carlos’ girlfriend, pleads with him to take her far from the cursed town. Soon the wave of violence engulfs the young couple. In order to seek revenge, Carlos becomes a thing of supernatural justice; Fantasma, and brings a righteous rampage of death to his enemies.
Will Carlos be able to return from the edge of darkness, or will he become one with it?
The solicit above sums things up pretty well for you guys, so I won’t delve too far into the plot on this one except to say that it’s all vaguely out-of-time – there’s no telling when this story is set, only where. Between the high stakes storyline and the gloriously on-the-nose dialogue (“Here I am! I am darkness! I am death!”), the whole thing has the feel of a local story told and retold until it’s smoothed down into its purest form. It’s no surprise, then, when folkloric elements show up, presented without explication or rationalization, and the plot actually hinges on three consecutive visits by mysterious talking animals.
Just like one of those well-polished local stories, the events feel inevitable – but there’s still something delicious about watching it all unfold. The fun of a revenge story is in the inexorability of it all, and despite the limited room for character development Rangel and Romera capture that sense of futility and desperation nicely. It also helps that the pacing of this book is unusually well-managed. Divided into chapters, with events spread out evenly among them, there’s a good mix of action and more meditative moments as our main character, Carlos, meets his bloody fate – and then finds a way to get even.
As you would expect from the title, there’s a clear Day of the Dead aesthetic going on that also (obviously) fits in with the revenge theme. But Romera handles the carnivalesque elements carefully, never pushing them too hard, and instead letting them breathe by setting banal elements and fantastical ones side-by-side. The best example is the costume of Carlos’ alter ego, Fantasma. Consisting of a sharp suit paired with skull make-up, it shouldn’t work, but it totally does, fitting right in with the melodramatic atmosphere and making for some particularly memorable panels.
Generally speaking, the art isn’t heavy on detail, keeping, like Rangel’s script, to the broad outlines of things. Interestingly, the settings are altogether more expressive than the faces – bold shadows lattice and define the best panels, while many of the facial expressions come off a bit forced and stiff. The colours, meanwhile, are appropriately vibrant, ranging from blues and violets in the more mysterious scenes to Francavilla-esque reds and oranges when the action heats up.
All the while, Rachel Deering’s lettering adds an unusual finish. Her lettering style is unique and energetic but not distracting, which is a tricky balance to strike, and it fits in with the off-kilter air of the comic as a whole.
Overall, this is a quick, fun read with a nice sense of atmosphere. It’s not exceptionally deep, but it’s quite enjoyable, and with its solid storytelling and striking aesthetic, it’s likely this colourful revenge story will stay with you a long time.
You can purchase “Los Muertos” – or check out a preview – over at Challenger Comics.
Final Verdict: 8.0 – Buy
