Review – Seduction of the Innocent (#2 of 5) (Dynamite)

SED
Publisher: Dynamite
Writer: Ande Parks
Artist: Esteve Polls
Release Date: 30 December 2015

Writer Ande Parks and artist Esteve Polls, who worked together to produce The Lone Ranger series, have again created a mini-series that reinvigorates a comic classic. Seduction of the Innocent is of course named after the 1954 book by psychiatrist Fredric Wertham, which infamously proposed that “the influence of comic books on today’s youth” was a negative one. The title is therefore a definite nod to the controversial nature of 1950s crime and horror comics, such as the Crime SuspenSeries series from Entertaining Comics, as is the wonderful cover artwork by Francesco Francavilla that channels Johnny Craig’s stylised horror covers from his time with Entertaining Comics.

With its strong lines, silhouettes and sepia tones, Polls’ artwork and the colouring from Salvatore Aiala Studios blends beautifully to create a dark, noir-ish world, which is set specifically in San Francisco in the 1950s. The comic centres on an FBI agent, Thomas Jennings, who has recently moved to the area with his wife and baby. It is clear from the outset that he is struggling to adjust to life as a parent, having nightmares involving his new-born in danger. This is exacerbated by his workload, as he is thrust into the investigation of a series of murders in which organised crime bosses are being targeted by a series of people with very unsavoury plans for the city.

The subtle touches in the characterisation of Jennings and his wife, with the very real emotional issues that both are dealing with as new parents, adds a realistic touch that elevates the otherwise simplistic story. The series has set up a dark, underlying thread-a controversial, historical reference is revealed in relation to the murderers at the end of the first comic-that will be hopefully be explored throughout later instalments. It is this provocative nature, in addition to the nostalgic artwork, that pays homage to crime and horror comics from the 1950s while simultaneously providing a sly wink to readers regarding historical arguments surrounding censorship and comics with Seduction of the Innocent’s borrowed title.

Rating: 2/5.

The writer of this piece was: Rebecca Booth
Rebecca Tweets from @rebeccalbooth