In a week that saw DC’s “Villain’s Month” kick off with a deluge of one-shots, origin stories and 3D goodness, there was certainly no shortage of quality comics hitting the shelves.  But once I’d managed to devour my entire pull list (a list bolstered by my own lack of self control and magpie-esque fascination with shiny things… damn you DC!), there was one title I just couldn’t get out of my head.  One title that impressed me so much that it just simply had to be this week’s Comic of the Week…

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Trillium #2 (Vertigo Comics)

Writer: Jeff Lemire
Artist: Jeff Lemire

While I was blown away by the first issue of Jeff Lemire’s time-travel sci-fi romance (that’s a genre, right?), there was always a niggling concern in the back of my mind about just how he’d manage to build on such an impressive start.  The first issue boasted an innovative flip-cover containing two entirely separate stories that ultimately converged, and immediately grabbed my attention by virtue of its strong characterisation and – of course – Lemire’s all-too-distinctive artistic style.

The second issue deals with the first meeting between William, an explorer from 1921 and Nika, a scientist from 3797.  Neither the ongoing story nor the circumstances that brought them together are expanded upon too much, but the care and attention Lemire gives to every tiny aspect of their meeting is nothing short of breathtaking.

In another inspired creative choice, Lemire highlights the language barrier between the two by alternating who we are allowed to understand on a page-by-page basis (one page we hear Nika, the next William, and so on) which sounds clunky, but actually works beautifully to highlight the growing frustration between the two, as well as add further emphasis to the many non-verbal forms of communication they attempt to employ.  And it all pays off in the wonderfully poignant splash page when the barrier is cracked – albeit only slightly – for the first time.

The final page spurs the storyline on again, but in a book where we’re clearly expected to invest heavily in the relationship between the two main characters, it definitely pays off to take the time to develop their relationship like this.  So while not many questions are answered in this issue, it’s still an extremely worthwhile exercise, and a brilliant example of how to develop a relationship without masses of exposition.  Or, in this case, conversation.

There’s just something about Lemire’s artwork that just fits this book perfectly, too.  Obviously as his own brainchild, he’s best suited to bring the ideas to life, but his jagged, sketchy style with its over-exaggerated anatomy and facial features – while not well suited for a lot of mainstream titles – is an ideal fit for a book with such an unusual premise.  And there’s something about the almost grotesque facial expressions of the main characters that somehow manages to hammer their emotions home even more.

This is an almost painfully creative book, and one that showcases the full range of storytelling talents that Lemire – undoubtedly one of the most talented writers working at the moment – has at his disposal.  And, with six more issues to come in the eight-part series, it’s clear there’s a lot more brilliance set to come.  I implore you to try and pick up the first two issues of this title and get on board this bandwagon.  Don’t wait for the trade paperback.  Get involved now, dammit!

Rating: 9/10.

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Honourable Mentions:  Oh so very many.  Batman & Robin #23.1: Two Face (DC Comics) provided the best of the Villains Month bunch, giving a brilliantly characterised look at one of the New 52’s forgotten Bat-Villians, and managing to avoid the ‘origin story’ trap that so many other titles have fallen into.  Batman Black & White #1 (DC Comics) brought some brilliantly inventive stories with absolutely jaw-dropping artwork from a who’s who of comic talent.  Infinity #2 (Marvel Comics) continued its unrelenting awesomeness, and reinforced Jonathan Hickman’s spot as the best writer in the game right now.  X-Men: Battle of the Atom #1 (and All-New X-Men #16, for that matter) kicked off the latest X-over in style, and… *phew*… DC Universe Vs The Masters Of The Universe #1 (DC Comics) defied a lot of people’s expectations – mine included – by actually turning out to be pretty damn awesome, helped in no small part by the stunning artwork of Dexter Soy.

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And that’s all for this week.  Let me know what you guys liked most this week, and I’ll see you all again here next week.  Same Ceej time, same Ceej channel!

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the writer of this piece was:

Craig Neilson aka (CEEJ)
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