Review - Clown Fatale TPBReview by Paul Fiander
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Clowns are a figment of fun and in some ways that is their reason for being. However when the world thinks you are the lowest of the low even a painted on smile can sometimes droop, this is where we find the four members of Clown Fatale. With a chequered past these four clowns have found themselves at the mercy of screaming kids and custard pies, however thanks to a case of mistaken identity their lives are about to change. There is something silly about the premise of Clown Fatale and in truth that is probably the best way to approach this series. It has its tongue firmly in its cheek and feels very self aware.
Making the central characters women was a great idea as it subverts the usual expectations of what a clown will be. The gender of the foursome leads us into some of the nastier parts of the story where the creative team generally do a good job of creating tension both in words and images. The character models are overly sexualised and this again plays into the joke about the girls being clowns. The play on expectations is the strength of this book as is the way it deals with violence. Make no mistake this is a book centred on violence from guns, guns and more guns to knives you are made to feel every kill from all sides of the conflict. It gives the narrative a number of great set pieces and allows Maurizio Rosenzweig a chance to really go to town with his art. There is an almost perfect union in this series with the art and writing from Victor Gischler and that makes the over top nature of the story simply work. Within this trade you get a number of pieces of art that detail the creation process of each of the girls and of course the four issues of the series. For a more detailed look at each of the four chapters please click in the links below. Clown Fatale is an over the top thrill ride of a story, it may feel a little gratuitous but it is honest in its presentation. If you can read between the lines then you will be able to draw a lot out of the narrative as well as the art. Clown Fatale is not for all but if you are on the fence I would say take the plunge and be prepared to be entertained. Trade Rating 4.5/5 |
The Comic is available in both print and digital from Dark Horse comics. Follow this link for more details.
Previous Issues
Images courtesy of Dark Horse Comics
Comic - Provided by Publisher
Comic - Provided by Publisher
