On the surface, “Regarding the Matter of Oswald’s Body” #1 seems like a pretty straightforward debut issue. Framed by supernatural, fantasy elements, however, there’s no telling where the series might go. (Warning: may contain minor spoilers.)
Cover by Luca CasalanguidaWritten by Christopher Cantwell
Illustrated by Luca Casalanguida
Colored by Giada Marchisio
Lettered by AndWorld DesignWhere is Lee Harvey Oswald’s body? The Kennedy assassination is a rat’s nest of conspiracy theories: mafia involvement, the second gunman, government cover-up… but the most important chapter of this sordid tale may just be the theory that the body buried at Oswald’s Rose Hill gravesite is not actually Lee Harvey himself. Meet the ragtag group of “useful idiots” who are unwittingly brought together to clean up the crime of the century – a wannabe cowboy from Wisconsin, a Buddy Holly-idolizing (former) car thief, a world-weary Civil Rights activist ready for revolution, and a failed G-Man who still acts the part – and specifically, regarding the matter of Oswald’s body. For fans of Department of Truth and Time Before Time comes an off-kilter crime thriller set in the shadows of history’s greatest conspiracy by Eisner Award-nominated writer, producer, and director Christopher Cantwell (Iron Man, The United States of Captain America) and artist Luca Casalanguida (Lost Soldiers, Scout’s Honor).
Conspiracy theories are so deeply embedded in American public discourse there’s even a conspiracy theory about the origin of the term “conspiracy theory.” Notably, the theory’s basic premise stems from The Mother of All Conspiracy Theories, aka the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
The logic is pretty straightforward: in the wake of JFK and Lee Harvey Oswald’s deaths, the CIA itself coined the phrase “conspiracy theory” as a way to discredit evidence that contradicted their official “Lone Gunman” theory. Anyone who dared to note discrepancies between numerous eye witness accounts and the CIA’s official version of events was immediately labeled a “Conspiracy Theorist” whose ideas were deemed to be baseless, counterfactual nonsense. No further investigation required.
To the Conspiracy Theorists – who often only cherry picked facts that supported their claims – the CIA’s obsessive fixation on the Lone Gunman theory proved they were hiding something and suppressing evidence. Emotionally, JFK’s murder was undeniably tragic. As a source for speculation and endless conjecture, it was the motherlode. Viewed in this context, November 22, 1963 marked the dawning of the Golden Age of Conspiracy Theories.
In the five-plus decades since the FBI, Dallas police and Warren Commission all declared Oswald acted alone, a sizable number of true believers have embraced a seemingly endless array of shiny new conspiracy theories including the Moon Landing Hoax, Princess Diana’s Murder, the 9/11 cover-up and QAnon. In this heady mixture of fantastical tales, the Kennedy assassination is like a Golden Oldie that can’t be escaped. Like “Hotel California” or “Stairway to Heaven,” it’s always out there somewhere playing in the background.
Regrettably, if you picked up “Regarding the Matter of Oswald’s Body” #1 hoping to dive right into a sprawling “rat’s nest of conspiracy theories,” you’ll likely be disappointed. Writer Christopher Cantwell opens this debut issue with an intriguing scene that centers on Lee Harvey Oswald’s exhumation (which is a thing that actually happened in October, 1981), but immediately switches gears to focus the rest of the book on a man named Frank as he assembles his dream-team of “useful idiots.”
For the most part, Cantwell plays it by the book, closely adhering to the traditional formula. The sarcastic, wisecracking Frank methodically tracks down four down-and-out misfits who each have different, complementary skillsets. All of the characters get their own mildly entertaining scene – complete with backstory – but there’s not a whole lot here that you haven’t seen before. Once assembled, Frank describes the team like this: “Shep knows how to get in and get out without getting caught. Buck’s behind the wheel, Wainright’s got the firepower and Yellow Rose can create all the documents we need to get away clean. I love it.” Sounds an awful lot like a gazillion other comic books, novels and movies built around a team of mavericks who don’t like to play by the rules.
Illustrator Luca Casalanguida and colorist Giada Marchisio’s artwork feels similarly straightforward. It’s efficient and well executed, with instinctive paneling and great visual flow, but they don’t take a whole lot of chances. In some ways, it almost feels retro. The color palette, especially, seems to have a subtle sepia cast that makes the book feel like a comic you found in the attic of your dad’s childhood home. Marchisio’s colors tend to be earthy and desaturated, but your eye is definitely drawn to the protagonists, each of whom is presented in their own trademark color. Casalanguida’s ability to convey subtle facial expressions is consistently outstanding, so it’s no surprise the majority of panels feature medium or close-up framing. Wannabe bank robber Shep’s facial expressions, in particular, feel spot-on, helping to set a realistic, unfussy tone for the scenes that follow.
Overall the book would seem boilerplate if it weren’t for the mysterious prose excerpts that bookend this opening installment. Don’t rush or skip over them or you’ll miss a key part of the story Cantwell is cooking up. In the excerpt that precedes the story, there’s talk of doppelgängers, apparitions and wraiths. The second piece ends the chapter with references and theories surrounding “nerve spirits” and astral projection. All of this frames the classic “Two Oswalds” theory in a unique and different light, adding layers of fantasy – and horror? – to an otherwise earthbound story. So far, we’re still on the outside looking in. It will be interesting to see where Cantwell and his cohorts take us.
Final Verdict: 7.1 On the whole, “Regarding the Matter of Oswald’s Body” #1 tends to feel a bit too formulaic. There’s a ton of potential here. Hopefully future issues will take more chances.
