Writer: Brian Lambert
Artist: Fabio Simao
Wingless Comics, 2022
Sometimes a story in the middle of a saga is a great place to start. Film series like Rocky, Fast & Furious, Mission Impossible and so on are often made to be accessible to new audience members with every instalment. Justice feels like that kind of story. Part of a larger set of stories published by Wingless Comics, the first three issues of Justice are preceded by a prelude, numbered #0, written by Brian Lambert, with art by Hakan Aydin and Fabio Simao. Mr Simao stays on as the artist for #1/2 and the four issue mini-series which is near concluding.
Mr Lambert’s writing has the quick pace of someone riding a bicycle to work and taking sharp turns to get to the office early. To put it another way, the story’s only weak point is that four issues is not enough space for the engaged reader who wants to know more about the dark twisted and beauteous fantasy world being introduced herein. Further instalments are welcomed. But we think an expanded “Director’s Cut” style graphic novel with several more pages and scenes would be worth the extra time and money, both for the reader and the creators. The story is that compelling.
Mr Simao’s art has a raw energy: his style feels rough, but intentionally so.
The tale at hand uses the language and iconography of post Moore/Miller/McFarlane super hero comics, alongside a 21st century progressive worldview of Judeo-Christian driven lore and mythology. Characters include The Morningstar (The Devil), Judas Iscariot (The Father of Vampires), werewolves, Dante Alighieri author of the poetic epic The Divine Comedy, and so on, to craft a tale of human civilization and culture in decline. The angel called Justice (who barred the gates of Eden and watched over lamb marked houses during the 10th plague of Egypt), journeys to Earth to intervene in nefarious actions that have kept the voice of God from being heard in the world of humanity.
To go further into detail would spoil some interesting surprises in store (including a subtextual/meta moment in the series that comments on ’90s comics tropes, and taps softly on the Fourth Wall). Suffice to say, if you like supernatural horror of a Judeo-Christian flavor, then it is worth downloading issues 0 & 1/2 (which are free on the publisher’s site) and picking up issues 1-3 in preparation for the final issue.