Based on the novella by Joe Hill, the first chapter of this three-issue miniseries from IDW gets into some pretty dark material right off the bat, and only gets more intriguing from there. This may not be the highest-profile title coming out this week, but “Thumbprint” is a damn fine read – and a pretty disturbing one, too.
Written by Jason Ciaramella
Illustrated by Vic MalhotraPrivate Mallory Grennan had done terrible things as an Abu Ghraib prison worker. After being discharged from the army, Mal thought she was leaving her sins behind to start a new life back home. But some things can’t be left behind — some things don’t want to be left behind.
When adapting any written work into a comic it’s pretty easy to get caught in the caption trap – which is to say, just cutting up and condensing the existing narration of the story or novel and relying on these all comic long, having each panel illustrate exactly what the caption says. Far from falling into this rhythm, though, there are some pretty varied storytelling techniques going on in “Thumbprint”, with Jason Ciaramella (of “The Cape” fame) managing the process of adaptation with a lot of flair.
A few long captions in the first few pages let us in to Mallory’s head. Recently returned from a stint interrogating and torturing prisoners at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, she makes it clear that there are things she’s regretting. But before long, we’re immersed in the thoroughly banal atmosphere of the Milky Way, the sleepy VFW bar where Mallory has again taken up work. A vaguely sketchy dude who hangs out there is the only thing resembling a threat, but the strong sense of angst and regret – established so early on with those captions – lingers over these quieter scenes and makes for an underlying sense of menace. We know something is going to happen in order to bring Mallory’s past into full relief, and it sure does.
Transitioning from first-person, introspective narration, to a dialogue scene, and now to a flashback, we get a pretty good taste of what Mallory’s is regretting, and in a first issue, it’s a pretty brave move. What comes through of Mallory’s personality is nothing short of brutal, and there’s a sense that there’s even worse to come. But while having a main character come across this unlikable this early is definitely a crap shoot, in this case it ratchets up the tension even more. Brutal or not, Mallory is a compelling character, seemingly determined to go on with her life despite what has happened, and this early taste only makes us want to know more.
Shocking plot points notwithstanding, Malhotra’s art is actually the most striking element of the issue. Understated yet completely arresting, the subtle line work and muted colours evoke a haunting atmosphere. Best of all, several near-wordless pages go by without the absence of narration becoming apparent. Far from this being a caption-heavy issue, Malhotra is allowed to completely take over storytelling duty several times – and does a bang-up job of it. His Mallory is so quietly expressive and deeply troubled that it feels as though we’re being encouraged to guess at her thought process ourselves. And something about the completely banal environments – it may partly be Malhotra’s unusual palette choices – makes these quiet scenes feel even more tense.
On the lettering front, Robbie Robbins deftly manages the dense, dialogue-heavy flashback scenes, while negotiating the sparse second half of the issue with a great feel for the eye’s movement across the page.
Overall, this is a strong issue, and it handles its novella heritage well, spreading out into a gripping if not terribly unconventional comic with strong structural elements but no trace of prosiness. Malhotra’s art, meanwhile, helps us get at the existential dread of the story, making it feel all the more wrenching. This definitely isn’t the sunniest issue on the stands this week, but it’s beautifully executed, all the while serving as a reminder of some uncomfortable truths. And there’s something to be said for those.
Final Verdict: 8.2 – Buy
