Torchwood #2

"Broken," by Paul Grist (story & art); "Fated to Pretend," by Brian Minchin (s) and Steve Yeowell (a); "The Man Who Dreamed of Stars," by Brian Minchin (s) and Ben Wilsher (a)

Rating: worth multiple reads, but not necessarily for the normal reason.

Here's why I like this and will get at least two or three more: this is not your normal comic. This is more your old-school "comics magazine," with a short, self-contained story, a longer, serialized feature, and some prose writing at the end. Isn't that cool?

"Fated to Pretend," although I was effusive with praise, just doesn't hold up well as a story. The characterizations of the Torchwood folks is inconsistent and indistinct: the dialogue doesn't have any personality difference. The "zombies" have abilities or weaknesses that are inconsistent with what the story shows: Jack states that their skin is like rice paper, yet they can roughhouse around and are designed as soldiers. Their joints will only hold up for "five minutes' walking per day" yet have no issues with the events of the story, which seem to last longer than five minutes. "One good rain, and you'll be little puddles of bones" yet they live "hiding in a big, damp pit."

Moral of the story: nice concept, flawed execution.

The art in "Broken," part 2 of 5, is a cartoony and almost caricature-esque style. It is consistent and easy to follow, although it does dull some of the intense and scary moments that follow. Then again, much of the fear is of the "grab you suddenly" type, which is hard to do in a comic. The story is interesting and obviously a middle part: Jack dies again, but gets better. Ianto and Gwen face some demonic bad guy types, and Bilis, the protagonist's spirit guide, is arcane and scary and confusing. I'm excited to get the whole story and to read it all in a row.

Full disclosure: I haven't read the prose story yet, although the incidental art is really quite cool. I love short stories, and will eventually come back and read it, probably in the same sitting that I read "Scarlet"'s letters page.

All in all, this is a magazine that actually gives you enough material for several sittings. I like this variety, even with a flawed first story. This comic is hanging close to earning a permanent part of my pull box, although the jury is still out.

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