Properly critiquing a book like “Mercy” #1 is difficult because it is very clear that not only is this a book that is a labor of auteur love from the sole writer, penciler, and colorist, it’s a book that feels like a book that was meant for a more European audience with different tastes in comics and different storytelling needs and quirks. It’s also very clear that this book was originally written and produced in Italian, which means that someone had to translate it into English.
The point is, there are things about “Mercy” #1 that will probably get lost in translation and that this review is going to be an American critic with American tastes and sensibilities reviewing an Italian comic book written for an international audience.
It’s sort of a square peg in a round hole situation.
Written, illustrated, and colored by Mirka AndolfoCover by: Mirka Andolfo
Color Assistant: Gianluca Papi
Lettered by Fabio Amelia
SERIES PREMIERE! When the placid mining village of Woodsburgh is disturbed by a series of brutal murders, the settlement is in turmoil. And as the first snow covers the chaos in a white blanket, a mysterious woman in black arrives, eliciting a totally different kind of unrest. But who is Lady Hellaine, really? And what’s her secret agenda? Acclaimed UNNATURAL creator MIRKA ANDOLFO presents a sensual Victorian gothic horror about otherness, damnation, redemption, and what it means to be a monster in a horror tale perfect for fans of Penny Dreadful, Crimson Peak, The Alienist, Parasol Protectorate, and Dark Shadows. Visit gotmercy.me for additional MERCY bonus content, including exclusive art, a live-action comic trailer, and supplemental story material.
“Mercy” #1 is set in the sleepy mining town of Woodsburgh Washington, although some of the backgrounds and buildings look like they would be more at home in Tuscany or Lombardy Italy. Some sort of monster is terrorizing the town and there’s a character named Lady Swanson who has been fighting it for a while now and it is taking a severe toll on her mental well being. Meanwhile, a strange and mysterious woman named Lady Hellaine has come to town, and she seems to have some strange connection to the monster that spells violent and bloody trouble for Swanson and the rest of the town.
Andolfo’s writing is interesting and does a decent job introducing the story, although there are some pretty glaring problems. “Mercy” #1 opens with a literal bang and explosion of blood and violence that does a great job of grabbing the reader’s attention and sets up the mystery of the monster before they can even get to the title page. The book also does a good job introducing and fleshing out some of the characters in the town, with Lady Swanson being set up as a no nonsense, down to earth, matron warrior in a petticoat who isn’t afraid to call people out on disrespect and break their bones to drive her point across. She provides a good foil to Lady Hellaine who appears to be mysterious and aloof, although she is seems to be just as violent and capable as Swanson. In between the two women is a collection of orphans, prostitutes, and various working class people with their own agendas and desires who will probably have big parts to play in the future.
“Mercy” #1 does do a good job setting up the future of the series. However, it does have some pretty glaring problems. For starters, the whole book feels rushed and crowded and makes inefficient use of space and pacing. There is a lot of going on, a lot of people who have to be introduced, and a lot of character beats and personalities that have to be established. While all of this could work, unfortunately Andolfo doesn’t make very good use of space and pacing, which makes the book appear confusing and all over the place.
However, the biggest problem with “Mercy” #1 is the dialogue and translation of the text. As stated before, this is an Italian book, created by an Italian team, and translated for an American audience. The unfortunate truth of the matter is that there are substantial cultural, vocal, and rhythmic differences between the two languages and simply converting the text from Italian to English leads to dialogue that feels awkward and unnatural.
While the writing and translation of the text does leave quite a bit to be desired, the artwork is gorgeous and amazing. Andolfo’s pencils combine the attention to detail and realism of European comics with incredibly expressive and dynamic facial expressions and movements that can be found in manga and high quality anime. If you’re a fan of Sana Tanaka’s artwork on Monstress this style should be instantly familiar. That being said, the art work does have a few let downs, namely it’s not the best art style to show the poverty and desperation of many of the characters. However, it does make the petticoat and fancy hat mid 1800’s aesthetic that the comic goes for pop and shine for the reader. “Mercy” #1 is a book for lovers of fine comic book art and Andolfo’s talents are on full display here.
On top of wonderful pencils, “Mercy” #1 is complimented by some fantastic colors which are, once again, done by Mirka Andolfo. The gore and violence of the opening act are juxtaposed by some bright neon pink, purple, and blue lighting that gives the monster an otherworldly and unnatural feel. In the meantime, the whole book has a warm, gentle glow to it that even manages to make the dull and drab browns and greys that pervade the town look pretty and engaging. I mentioned that the art on this book is similar to Tanaka’s work on Monstress but the colors are what separate this art from the pack and make it a unique and interesting piece of art.
“Mercy” #1 is a global book, written and drawn by a global creator, for a global audience and while there are some problems with the translation and pacing of the writing, it is still a very pretty book to look at that does enough to set up a potentially interesting conflict between two powerful women in a highly stylish setting.
Final Verdict: 7.5-While the writing is bizarre and awkward at times, it does just enough to get the point across and is offset by some of the best artwork you will see all year.
