Now more than halfway through its eight-issue run, Abnett and Culbard’s elegant horror series shows no signs of getting sloppy. This instalment keeps the intrigue coming as Suttle ventures to the countryside and further into the mystery that hangs over the death of one of the Young.
Written by Dan Abnett
Illustrated by I.N.J. CulbardInspector Suttle leaves London to pursue his murder investigation. But the city’s dark and troubled shadows follow him to Cadley, the victim’s hometown. In the idyllic surroundings of a great house, mingling with the aristocracy, Suttle discovers that the undead curse of the Restless Plague runs ever deeper…
Inspector Suttle is one of the Young. In addition to certain other effects (immortality being the big one), it makes him unappetizing to the hordes of zombies that roam certain areas of London. That’s right — “certain areas”, and if you think for a moment about class and Edwardian London this story takes on a whole new level of meaning. Add a murder mystery to the mix, in which one of the power-wielding Young, Lord Hinchcliffe, is the victim, and you have one of the more icily thought-provoking comics on the shelves today.
In this issue Suttle’s investigations take him to the countryside and into the home of the victim’s wealthy family. It’s here that he encounters a host of immediately compelling minor characters, all of whom have something to contribute to the investigation. This issue is every bit as absorbing, detailed, and lightly comic as the previous four, and before I get into some spoilery discussion I’m going to make it clear that if you’ve kept up with “The New Deadwardians” this far there’s no reason to take your leave.
If the last two issues comprised a look at the shadier side of London under the thumb of the Young, this issue takes us in an entirely other direction. As has been made clear in previous issues, it’s largely the aristocracy that has been turned Young, and here we see that despite being both immortal and rich they have got some major problems of their own.
Abnett’s minor chararcters — of course, some of them may turn out to be major indeed — really do shine, thanks in part to his uncanny ear for dialogue. From Hinchcliffe’s widow with her runny makeup and belief in magic to Hinchcliffe’s daughter, an advocate of unmarried ladies having the opportunity to turn Young, each immediately sticks in the mind’s eye as a distinct, memorable personage. Even the snarky butler in this issue, who could easily have come across as another snarky butler in a long line of snarky butlers in literature, manages to step forward as his own little personality here, someone capable of surprising us with a neat and politic turn of phrase.
At the same time, these are believable characters, inhabiting political stances that really would have to exist in the world Abnett and Culbard have created. The creators of this comic never let us forget that this is a world of its own, not an excuse to have vampires and zombies battle it out in front of a vaguely historical backdrop (as appears to be the formula for supernatural stories lately). Furthermore it’s looking like these touches of political detail are relevant to Suttle’s investigation, deepening the sense of intrigue even as they add realism and texture.
On the level of plot this issue advances things at a steady pace while still letting the story breathe. Between informative discussions with members of Hinchcliffe’s family we get a flash from Suttle’s memory, evidence that the horrors he saw in the initial war against the zombies haven’t quite left him. It’s a neat touch of character development in amongst the clues and red herrings, reminding us that for all his detachment from the world of the living he still has room to grow as an individual.
I.N.J. Culbard’s art continues to be just the thing for this story, elegant and understated but never stiff. In the same way that Abnett’s dialogue really gets you hearing the tone and manner of a character’s way of speaking, Culbard’s faces economically get across a character’s bearing and mood. And while some of these faces edge on caricature (the butler in this issue is a good example), this somehow doesn’t take away from the realism. We’re just left believing that this character really does look this odd, and this adds a touch of levity to the proceedings.
Continued belowParticularly effective in this issue is Culbard’s portrayal of Lord Falconbridge, a former politician who (it seems) is attempting to put Suttle on the wrong track of investigation. His gestures, his glares, even the way he looks down at his pocketwatch, all have the air of being completely orchestrated, calculated to produce a reaction in Suttle. Just like Suttle, we’re able to gauge how seriously to take Lord Falconbridge’s words by taking note of these mannerisms — and if that’s not a sign of sensitive character portrayal, what is?
At the end of this issue we’re sharing Suttle’s doubts, that much deeper into a mystery that shows no signs of unravelling. If you’re a mystery aficionado then this issue gives you lots of details to mull over, and if you’re just along for the ride it’s a well-paced tour through yet another aspect of the Deadwardian age.
All things considered, if you’re not reading “The New Deadwardians” already, this probably isn’t the best of jump-on issues. That said, it’s one of the most well thought out comics to employ those horror standbys, the vampire and the zombie, and the intricate symbiosis of Abnett’s words and Culbard’s faces will make it well worth buying in trade.
Final Verdict: 8.5 — Buy
