FAIRLADY #2
Writer: Brian Schirmer
Artist: Claudia Balboni
Colorist: Marissa Louise
Publisher: Image Comics
8/10
I read last issue on a whim, and was so happy I did. I had no prior knowledge and fell in love with the book. FAIRLADY stars Jenner Faulds, who after posing as man to fight in the war, returns home (The Feld) and becomes a Fairman (private investigator. Since she's the only Fairlady, she usually takes cases nobody else will. Along with her partner, Oanu. Setting a detective story in the realm of fantasy was pure genius. This book had a great debut and get's better with this second issue.
This issue takes us on another of Jenner's cases. She's hired by a widow, of a Fairman, to look into his death. He was said to have been burned alive by a dragon, but the widow doesn't believe it. She thinks it was set up. From here we see Jenner questioning The Feld's Fairman, to get to the bottom of this mystery. Schirmer writes one hell of a private investigator, throughout the book he shows Jenner seeking out the truth and it only deepens my affection for the character. Telling single issue case also helps to not feel bogged down to early in the series. It leaves room to tell more backstory. While we don't get much more on Jenner's past in this issue, the worldbuilding leaves the reader yearning for more.
Once again the art team of Balboni and Louise, is one of the major draws to this book. Balboni has built such a fantastic world of characters, each one unique. The level of detail she puts into each and scenery is breathtaking. From her quiet moment to scenes of violence, each page is composed to perfection. Don't even get me started on Louise's colors. The way she uses colors in this book is mind blowing. From the bright oranges of flame to the stunning sunsets, she sets the mood and atmosphere perfectly. Louise is an integral part to the success of this book. The way Balboni's drawings seamlessly meld with Louise's colors, is flawless. These two deserve to be nominated for an Eisner next year, without a doubt.
As Jenner searches for clues, she leaves no stone unturned. After gathering all of her evidence she, solves the crime. While I could say that it was somewhat predictable. The story was still very enjoyable and I look forward to reading more of Jenner's stories. The charcters in this book are really well thought out, and I've already grown attached to them. I hope this book is around for a long time to come. This is definitely a book that deserves way more attention than it's getting. The writing is great and the art is amazing. Any fan of
fantasy or detective stories should give this book a try.