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Fatale
Fatale, Vol. 2: The Devil's Business
In 1970s Los Angeles, Josephine can't hide from the forces of Hollywood, Satanic Cults and creepy 16mm films collected by wealthy deviants. And when a struggling actor and his wounded friend cross her path, all hell will break loose, leaving ripples that echo all the way to modern time, where Nicolas Lash falls deeper into Josephine's spell.
Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips' best-selling series just gets hotter!
Collecting: Fatale 6-10
Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips' best-selling series just gets hotter!
Collecting: Fatale 6-10
136 pages, Paperback
First published January 2, 2013
45 people are currently reading
1,162 people want to read
About the author
Ed Brubaker
1,734 books2,881 followersEd Brubaker (born November 17, 1966) is an Eisner Award-winning American cartoonist and writer. He was born at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland.
Brubaker is best known for his work as a comic book writer on such titles as Batman, Daredevil, Captain America, Iron Fist, Catwoman, Gotham Central and Uncanny X-Men. In more recent years, he has focused solely on creator-owned titles for Image Comics, such as Fatale, Criminal, Velvet and Kill or Be Killed.
In 2016, Brubaker ventured into television, joining the writing staff of the HBO series Westworld.
Brubaker is best known for his work as a comic book writer on such titles as Batman, Daredevil, Captain America, Iron Fist, Catwoman, Gotham Central and Uncanny X-Men. In more recent years, he has focused solely on creator-owned titles for Image Comics, such as Fatale, Criminal, Velvet and Kill or Be Killed.
In 2016, Brubaker ventured into television, joining the writing staff of the HBO series Westworld.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 293 reviews
June 14, 2020
For crime noir with a Lovecraftian twist, you can't beat Brubaker and Phillip's Fatale.
This story is amazing!
The Devil's Business is told from multiple POV's, but mostly Josephine, Miles, and Nick.
I read Lady Killer the other day and mentioned that it wasn't all that meaty, but still enjoyable in its own way. Well, this is an example of a graphic novel being able to pull off meaty and still keep the mystery going. I'm in love with this series and I'm only 2 volumes in. Can't wait to read more!
Definitely Recommended.
This story is amazing!
The Devil's Business is told from multiple POV's, but mostly Josephine, Miles, and Nick.
I read Lady Killer the other day and mentioned that it wasn't all that meaty, but still enjoyable in its own way. Well, this is an example of a graphic novel being able to pull off meaty and still keep the mystery going. I'm in love with this series and I'm only 2 volumes in. Can't wait to read more!
Definitely Recommended.
February 12, 2018
Time for Round two!
Book two takes us away from 50's to a new decade: The dashing 70's! Experience the glamor and the ....uh.. tentacles?
Following the footsteps of book one, the story jumps back and forth between two timelines: 2012 and 1970. In 2012, Nicholas Nash is still trying to figure out what the hell is happening to him and around him. He seems to be chasing old ghosts and running away from new ones.
But 70's is where things are going down. While last book's major characters were from police department and journalism background, Ed Brubaker shakes things up and introduce us to the grand film industry of America. Miles, a b-grade actor, and his friend Suzie were on the run from an evil cult/church when they literally dropped into our enigmatic heroine's lap. Josephine had been keeping a low profile and generally staying away from the world as well as men for her and their sake.
But that changes now.
The first two chapters were really fun. I actually thought this was going to be better than the first book, but then again, I found Brubaker's last act was basically a retracing of first volume's footsteps. Nevertheless, The last act did offer a satisfying conclusion to the 70s story arc and I am satisfied with the whole thing. While the art and writing were excellent as usual, it's was repetitive in certain parts.
So did it blow my mind?
Hey, stop looking me like that. If Ed Brubaker can use the same plot points, I should be able to use the same jokes too!
Book two takes us away from 50's to a new decade: The dashing 70's! Experience the glamor and the ....uh.. tentacles?
Following the footsteps of book one, the story jumps back and forth between two timelines: 2012 and 1970. In 2012, Nicholas Nash is still trying to figure out what the hell is happening to him and around him. He seems to be chasing old ghosts and running away from new ones.
But 70's is where things are going down. While last book's major characters were from police department and journalism background, Ed Brubaker shakes things up and introduce us to the grand film industry of America. Miles, a b-grade actor, and his friend Suzie were on the run from an evil cult/church when they literally dropped into our enigmatic heroine's lap. Josephine had been keeping a low profile and generally staying away from the world as well as men for her and their sake.
But that changes now.
The first two chapters were really fun. I actually thought this was going to be better than the first book, but then again, I found Brubaker's last act was basically a retracing of first volume's footsteps. Nevertheless, The last act did offer a satisfying conclusion to the 70s story arc and I am satisfied with the whole thing. While the art and writing were excellent as usual, it's was repetitive in certain parts.
So did it blow my mind?
Hey, stop looking me like that. If Ed Brubaker can use the same plot points, I should be able to use the same jokes too!
May 12, 2019
Having recently been reminded just how good Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips can be with their latest Criminal run, I wanted MORE! So I went back to revisit one of their few titles that I’ve read almost nothing of because the first book didn’t click for me: Fatale. Lovecraftian horror meets classic LA noir - how could it be anything but a hit, right? And yet…
Nope! Just like the first Fatale book, the second was plain bad! So this is the part where I usually try to summarise the plot - and that’s part of the problem: I wasn’t totally sure what was happening! There’s a snuff film doing the rounds and people are after it and there’s a Satanic cult doing stuff and want our heroine - though I’m not sure why she’s that either - for a ritual to do something.
Ugh. Besides the occasional murder of a non-character, nothing much happens for the vast majority of the book. Characters bumbling around, talking moodily - it’s not interesting at all. I have no idea why Josephine is involved in any of this seeing as she doesn’t seem to do anything but sit in her house smoking and watching old movies - this is why I wonder why she’s the title character given how passive, unmotivated and boring she is! Like all the characters, she’s a total yawner to read about and her romance with the failed actor was forced and unconvincing.
My bafflement was only further underlined in the final act when she clutches a book saying that she was now saved. What?! Maybe it was established in the first Fatale what that book was and how it relates to her but it’s been seven years since I read Volume 1 and I was completely lost!
The Satanic cult/Lovecraftian mumbo-jumbo was as corny as a Hammer horror but totally unoriginal and bland. They’re evil and they’re out to do evil things because evil - I dunno, take over the world or something stupid like that. Brubaker simply doesn’t write horror well and it’s not a good fit alongside his normal brand of crime noir fiction.
The noir is cliched and unpleasant for the sake of being unpleasant. If you want to read about the sinister machinations of old Hollywood, this very same creative team did it way better in The Fade Out.
Sean Phillips’ art is the book’s only saving grace and it’s dependably strong, particularly coupled with Dave Stewart’s colours. Unfortunately though, while the Brubaker/Phillips partnership is one of comic’s finest creative teams, they’re not immune from putting out the occasional pile of crap which Fatale, Volume 2: The Devil’s Business definitely is.
Nope! Just like the first Fatale book, the second was plain bad! So this is the part where I usually try to summarise the plot - and that’s part of the problem: I wasn’t totally sure what was happening! There’s a snuff film doing the rounds and people are after it and there’s a Satanic cult doing stuff and want our heroine - though I’m not sure why she’s that either - for a ritual to do something.
Ugh. Besides the occasional murder of a non-character, nothing much happens for the vast majority of the book. Characters bumbling around, talking moodily - it’s not interesting at all. I have no idea why Josephine is involved in any of this seeing as she doesn’t seem to do anything but sit in her house smoking and watching old movies - this is why I wonder why she’s the title character given how passive, unmotivated and boring she is! Like all the characters, she’s a total yawner to read about and her romance with the failed actor was forced and unconvincing.
My bafflement was only further underlined in the final act when she clutches a book saying that she was now saved. What?! Maybe it was established in the first Fatale what that book was and how it relates to her but it’s been seven years since I read Volume 1 and I was completely lost!
The Satanic cult/Lovecraftian mumbo-jumbo was as corny as a Hammer horror but totally unoriginal and bland. They’re evil and they’re out to do evil things because evil - I dunno, take over the world or something stupid like that. Brubaker simply doesn’t write horror well and it’s not a good fit alongside his normal brand of crime noir fiction.
The noir is cliched and unpleasant for the sake of being unpleasant. If you want to read about the sinister machinations of old Hollywood, this very same creative team did it way better in The Fade Out.
Sean Phillips’ art is the book’s only saving grace and it’s dependably strong, particularly coupled with Dave Stewart’s colours. Unfortunately though, while the Brubaker/Phillips partnership is one of comic’s finest creative teams, they’re not immune from putting out the occasional pile of crap which Fatale, Volume 2: The Devil’s Business definitely is.
January 21, 2016
Fatale is probably the weakest Brubaker series I’ve read so far, though I have not read much of his superhero stuff. Its leading lady is supposed to be temptation personified, but I am afraid she leaves me rather cold. The whole mystery that surrounds her just does not grab me, especially all that by-the-numbers evil cult mumbo jumbo. That being said, the series is still head and shoulders above your average comic book out there: great dialogue, moody artwork that perfectly captures the story’s melancholic tone, several fascinating minor characters, countless memorable details. We also get more noir and less Lovecraftian horror than in the first volume – a trend that plays to the strengths of both writer and artist (though the Lovecraftian elements no longer feel quite as stiff and out of place here). Last but not least, I really enjoyed this volume’s sleazy 1970’s setting! Bottom line: even the most flawed Brubaker effort is well worth checking out.
September 6, 2013
Another "drop everything else" read by Brubaker and co. This time the noir takes on a '70's theme, but this is no Starsky and Hutch. No, again we are steeped in a criminal underworld that is merely a facade for something far more sinister. The minions want money, to be sure, but the real monsters are . . . well, real monsters.
I'm intrigued at how Brubaker, through story and image, elicits feelings of sympathy for Josephine who hides more than she shows. Is she a demon or an angel? More appropriately, where does she lie on the continuum between the two? Or is she outside of such dualities all together?
And what of Nicolas? Can he avoid the fate of so many of Jo's past loves? Or will he end up being swallowed, like so many others, by forces he cannot hope to comprehend?
Brubaker is at it again. Though the primary setting for this volume has moved from the traditional noir setting of the 1930's and '40's to the 1970's, this volume doesn't lose a step from Volume 1 at all. Compelling characters, a writhing background plot reminiscent of BPRD, and candid glimpses into the Manson-esque Method Church all weave a sticky net for the eager reader. I've not been drawn into a series like this in a very, very long time, and I hope this series lasts a very, very long time.
Addendum: If you really want to immerse yourself in this volume of Fatale, I'd recommend first lighting up some incense. Then before your reading watch this video by Opeth, in order to get in the proper mood. Then, after you're done reading, watch this video as the desert course. Now, please stay away from sharp objects and candles made from baby fat while engaging in this exercise.
I'm intrigued at how Brubaker, through story and image, elicits feelings of sympathy for Josephine who hides more than she shows. Is she a demon or an angel? More appropriately, where does she lie on the continuum between the two? Or is she outside of such dualities all together?
And what of Nicolas? Can he avoid the fate of so many of Jo's past loves? Or will he end up being swallowed, like so many others, by forces he cannot hope to comprehend?
Brubaker is at it again. Though the primary setting for this volume has moved from the traditional noir setting of the 1930's and '40's to the 1970's, this volume doesn't lose a step from Volume 1 at all. Compelling characters, a writhing background plot reminiscent of BPRD, and candid glimpses into the Manson-esque Method Church all weave a sticky net for the eager reader. I've not been drawn into a series like this in a very, very long time, and I hope this series lasts a very, very long time.
Addendum: If you really want to immerse yourself in this volume of Fatale, I'd recommend first lighting up some incense. Then before your reading watch this video by Opeth, in order to get in the proper mood. Then, after you're done reading, watch this video as the desert course. Now, please stay away from sharp objects and candles made from baby fat while engaging in this exercise.
January 18, 2015
Introduction:
After reading Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips’ fantastic first volume of “Fatale,” I just knew that I struck gold when I picked up this graphic novel series and I was dying to read more from this series! So, that is why I picked up the second volume “Fatale: The Devil’s Business: Book Two” and man was it just as exciting and frightening as the first volume!
What is this story about?
In this volume, Nicolas Lash continues to search for more clues about the mysterious beautiful woman Josephine, as she has ties to his deceased relative Dominic Raines and he is more determined than ever to discover Josephine’s secret identity. Meanwhile, part of the story flash back to the late 1970s as Josephine tries to hide herself from the world as she believes that any man that comes near her always suffer a gruesome fate. Unfortunately, when a former star actor named Miles finds out that his friend Suzy had murdered Brother Stane at a Method Church party, he unknowingly runs to Josephine’s house and begs her to save Suzy from the Satanic Cult of the Method Church, which is led by none other than Hansel, the devil from the first book being reborn in another body.
Can Miles and Josephine escape the clutches of Hansel?
Read this book to find out!
What I loved about this story:
Ed Brubaker’s writing: Wow! Can I just say that this volume was just as intense and exciting as the first volume? Yes I can! Ed Brubaker has really outdone himself in this volume as the story is full of drama, horror and forbidden love and these elements all mingle together to create one horrifying and exciting story for this volume! I loved the way that Ed Brubaker made Josephine into such a mysterious person as we still do not know about her true identity and how she is able to possess the power to mind control people. I felt like Nicolas Lash in this story as I also want to know more about Josephine and why the Devils are searching for her and it makes me sit at the edge of my seat trying to solve this mystery myself and see who Josephine really is! I also loved the way that Ed Brubaker wrote the horror elements in this graphic novel as I did find myself cringing at a few scenes where various people are killed in a gruesome manner and I think that it greatly captures the horror element of this volume!
Sean Phillips’ artwork: Sean Phillips’ artwork is as usual gorgeous to look at as the characters’ features look truly realistic and I loved the way that Sean Phillips made Josephine look so gorgeous throughout the years as it really made her stand out from the other characters and shows us that she has an unnatural quality to her character. I also loved the dark and gritty tones of the city of Los Angeles as it really brings out the horror elements of this story.
What made me feel uncomfortable about this story:
For anyone who does not like strong language and gory violence, this volume does contain many scenes of characters getting killed in gruesome ways and it does have some strong language such as the “s” word and dropping the “f” bomb popping up in the dialogues a few times.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, “Fatale: The Devil’s Business: Book Two” is truly a fantastic volume that anyone who is a fan of Ed Brubaker’s “Fatale” series or anyone who is a fan of horror and noir graphic novels should definitely check out!
Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog
November 15, 2017
Welcome to the Seventies!
Devils Business is the second book in the Josephine -Fatale story arc by Brubaker and Phillips. It is rather loosely connected to book one, featuring the Never-aging Josephine in the midst of the laid-back seventies Hollywood with Satanic cults and hippie followers, Hollywood parties, and hints and discoveries regarding Jo’s past in the 20’s and 50’s. It contains terrific artwork and a noir-infused storyline.
Devils Business is the second book in the Josephine -Fatale story arc by Brubaker and Phillips. It is rather loosely connected to book one, featuring the Never-aging Josephine in the midst of the laid-back seventies Hollywood with Satanic cults and hippie followers, Hollywood parties, and hints and discoveries regarding Jo’s past in the 20’s and 50’s. It contains terrific artwork and a noir-infused storyline.
October 25, 2024
Ed Brubaker is a great and inventive writer, with plenty of ideas, reciprocating with his partner in illustration, Sean Phillips. Their best work is in the Criminal series, but they stretch out here and in Houses of the Unholy and To Kill or Be Killed, into mashups connecting crime to the supernatural. This one was my first foray into this arena with them and it felt off to me, initially, but now I've read the other works, and have plenty more reading in the past couple years into the femme fatale in crime fiction, and in my rereading of the short series, I like it more and more.
Brubaker never takes a character or concept and accepts it at face value and just runs with it. He always turns it inside out, looks at it from a variety of ways and explores it a bit. So we know these women are around for centuries, probably demons, and we typically know them as just Bad. Brigid O'Shaughnessy in the Maltese Falcon is a classic example, a woman that can't tell the truth to save her soul. But in Fatale, Brubaker deconstructs the femme fatale trope. He has our femme fatale, Josephine, wonder why it is guys are so stupid as to fall for her; the blame is shifted from the woman to the men. And she wants out of this scheme, she feels bad for the other women she hurts in the process.
In this volume, The Devil's Business, we continue the story of a man, Nicholas, who lost his leg and his family to Josephine, who he thinks he saw in a photograph with his Uncle Dominic, decades ago. But the Jo we meet here has become a recluse, in this story he discovers about another victim, Miles.
This volume shifts the thirties/forties femme fatale trope to the seventies, and brings in an evil devil-worshipping cult like the Helter Skelter/Manson family featuring sex, drugs and murder. It's wild, and ends with Nick in jail. . . the best place NOT to see Josephine!
Brubaker never takes a character or concept and accepts it at face value and just runs with it. He always turns it inside out, looks at it from a variety of ways and explores it a bit. So we know these women are around for centuries, probably demons, and we typically know them as just Bad. Brigid O'Shaughnessy in the Maltese Falcon is a classic example, a woman that can't tell the truth to save her soul. But in Fatale, Brubaker deconstructs the femme fatale trope. He has our femme fatale, Josephine, wonder why it is guys are so stupid as to fall for her; the blame is shifted from the woman to the men. And she wants out of this scheme, she feels bad for the other women she hurts in the process.
In this volume, The Devil's Business, we continue the story of a man, Nicholas, who lost his leg and his family to Josephine, who he thinks he saw in a photograph with his Uncle Dominic, decades ago. But the Jo we meet here has become a recluse, in this story he discovers about another victim, Miles.
This volume shifts the thirties/forties femme fatale trope to the seventies, and brings in an evil devil-worshipping cult like the Helter Skelter/Manson family featuring sex, drugs and murder. It's wild, and ends with Nick in jail. . . the best place NOT to see Josephine!
February 6, 2019
Just as crazy as volume 1 but a little easier to follow this time.
Nicolas Nash is in modern time, or least current time for the whole story, and he's under this weird spell of sorts that makes him HAVE to find out who this Josephine really is. So this time instead of the 50's we head to the 70's. With more actors, bigger cults, scary vicious people, and a lot of death and betrayal, you have another crime story with supernatural twist.
Good: I found this era more interesting and honestly better than the last book. This time we have actual characters I cared about what happened to them and the shocks and twist actually hit home this time. The pacing of the story is also easier to follow and more interesting this time around. The art, as always, is amazing.
Bad: The main storyline with Nicolas at times feels disconnected and not as interesting as the storylines of Josephine.
Overall, another solid volume in the series. While not amazing it's still really good. A 3.5 out of 5 but I'll bump it to a 4.
Nicolas Nash is in modern time, or least current time for the whole story, and he's under this weird spell of sorts that makes him HAVE to find out who this Josephine really is. So this time instead of the 50's we head to the 70's. With more actors, bigger cults, scary vicious people, and a lot of death and betrayal, you have another crime story with supernatural twist.
Good: I found this era more interesting and honestly better than the last book. This time we have actual characters I cared about what happened to them and the shocks and twist actually hit home this time. The pacing of the story is also easier to follow and more interesting this time around. The art, as always, is amazing.
Bad: The main storyline with Nicolas at times feels disconnected and not as interesting as the storylines of Josephine.
Overall, another solid volume in the series. While not amazing it's still really good. A 3.5 out of 5 but I'll bump it to a 4.
October 30, 2021
This was a great read!
Jo is in LA and its 1970s when she meets Miles and his GF suzy who are on the run from cops after they witnessed or maybe participated in some killings and well the revelations happen as to who Miles is and well Suzy too and her crazy cult but when we find that its the cult of the Bishop, Jo has to seduce Miles and well get him to work for her and from there starts a crazy conspiracy of lies and deceit as he does everything to impress her and get Jo's pics or books and well how many will die for Jo and more happens.
Its a great read and the hollywood setting was good and it tells of those times in a great way and manages to tell a compelling story about Miles and Jo in a great manner and we get to know more about her power but the encounter with the Bishop was a lot of buildup and not much execution.
But still it is a good read as Brubaker and Phillips unleash their magic again. Plus I loved whatever is going on with the present story of Nick and the twist in the end.
Jo is in LA and its 1970s when she meets Miles and his GF suzy who are on the run from cops after they witnessed or maybe participated in some killings and well the revelations happen as to who Miles is and well Suzy too and her crazy cult but when we find that its the cult of the Bishop, Jo has to seduce Miles and well get him to work for her and from there starts a crazy conspiracy of lies and deceit as he does everything to impress her and get Jo's pics or books and well how many will die for Jo and more happens.
Its a great read and the hollywood setting was good and it tells of those times in a great way and manages to tell a compelling story about Miles and Jo in a great manner and we get to know more about her power but the encounter with the Bishop was a lot of buildup and not much execution.
But still it is a good read as Brubaker and Phillips unleash their magic again. Plus I loved whatever is going on with the present story of Nick and the twist in the end.
January 16, 2013
The setting moves to sleazy 1970s Hollywood where Jo is living the life of a rich recluse. As we've grown to know, Josephine is never far from controversy and when a B-list actor and his butchered friend nearly fall into her lap, Jo must try to avoid all the violence that they inadvertently bring with them.
I had to have my jaw surgically reattached after I finished the first volume of Fatale. Once again, Brubaker and Phillips left me with a vast appreciation for the entertainment that they provide us. They are true masters of their craft.
However, all the greats fail to deliver once or twice, even Wayne Gretzky was held scoreless every now and then. Continuing with my hockey reference, With volume two, the duo played a great game but didn't really put on a memorable performance. But that's the thing about a player as solid as Gretzky, you can allow for off nights but the fact is, he's still Wayne Gretzky, and you know you can't keep a good guy down for long.
The collected issues (6-10) contained within, and the main story told, really came across as, for lack of a better word, messy. I didn't quite feel that connection with Miles as I have with characters they've written in the past and found myself pondering what was happening with Lash in present day. I suppose the 70s Hollywood/Satanic Cult stuff just didn't grab my attention long enough to hold my interest.
I have no doubt that this series will rebound and become something special. Maybe we're just in that lull period in a story that sometimes solely exists to get characters from point A to point B. While that's not something I'm used to with regards to these guys, it's something I'm willing to look past (for once).
I had to have my jaw surgically reattached after I finished the first volume of Fatale. Once again, Brubaker and Phillips left me with a vast appreciation for the entertainment that they provide us. They are true masters of their craft.
However, all the greats fail to deliver once or twice, even Wayne Gretzky was held scoreless every now and then. Continuing with my hockey reference, With volume two, the duo played a great game but didn't really put on a memorable performance. But that's the thing about a player as solid as Gretzky, you can allow for off nights but the fact is, he's still Wayne Gretzky, and you know you can't keep a good guy down for long.
The collected issues (6-10) contained within, and the main story told, really came across as, for lack of a better word, messy. I didn't quite feel that connection with Miles as I have with characters they've written in the past and found myself pondering what was happening with Lash in present day. I suppose the 70s Hollywood/Satanic Cult stuff just didn't grab my attention long enough to hold my interest.
I have no doubt that this series will rebound and become something special. Maybe we're just in that lull period in a story that sometimes solely exists to get characters from point A to point B. While that's not something I'm used to with regards to these guys, it's something I'm willing to look past (for once).
November 2, 2022
Well today I received book 2 of the Fatale series and I have say that although I am still rather (as compared to very) confused the story at least appears to have some direction. Do not get me wrong - the story is very compelling but I am starting to see who and what the players are.
The artwork is still amazing and very atmospheric - without giving spoilers the story has moved on and I feel the style and art has reflected so perfectly - the pages if such a thing is possible are so atmospheric.
You can definitely see what Ed Brubaker has collected so much praise and respect and this is I believe one of his lesser series so I am eager to see where we go next and what may happen.
As with many multi-part series you do not want to peak too early and give everything away so I am sure there are still many more surprises and bodies to discover.
The artwork is still amazing and very atmospheric - without giving spoilers the story has moved on and I feel the style and art has reflected so perfectly - the pages if such a thing is possible are so atmospheric.
You can definitely see what Ed Brubaker has collected so much praise and respect and this is I believe one of his lesser series so I am eager to see where we go next and what may happen.
As with many multi-part series you do not want to peak too early and give everything away so I am sure there are still many more surprises and bodies to discover.
April 22, 2019
Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips’s creepy and intriguing “Fatale: Book Two: The Devil’s Business” carries on the Lovecraft-inspired horror-noir story of Josephine, the mysterious brunette who never ages and leaves a trail of broken men in her wake.
In Book Two, Josephine has been laying low in her Hollywood bungalow for the past three decades, knowing that the forces of evil are out there, waiting to trap her. It’s the late-‘70s: an era of sideburns, acid rock, and Charles Manson.
When a down-on-his-luck actor, Miles, stumbles upon an 8 mm snuff film that could topple a Hollywood cult called the Method Church, Josephine offers to help. Unfortunately, she quickly learns that the cult has less to do with kinky sex and more to do with cosmic horror. Hansel, the human vessel that is host to an ancient demon, is the leader of the cult, and he’s after Josephine.
Meanwhile, in the present, Nicholas Lash continues his own search for Josephine, led on by a resurfaced memory of his childhood, when his father and Josephine crossed paths, with tragic consequences. Unfortunately, his investigation leads him down a very dark road, one that leads to a bleak, cold jail cell...
This is a slow burn story, but whatever Brubaker/Phillips is building up to, God only knows. Well, the Devil probably knows too...
In Book Two, Josephine has been laying low in her Hollywood bungalow for the past three decades, knowing that the forces of evil are out there, waiting to trap her. It’s the late-‘70s: an era of sideburns, acid rock, and Charles Manson.
When a down-on-his-luck actor, Miles, stumbles upon an 8 mm snuff film that could topple a Hollywood cult called the Method Church, Josephine offers to help. Unfortunately, she quickly learns that the cult has less to do with kinky sex and more to do with cosmic horror. Hansel, the human vessel that is host to an ancient demon, is the leader of the cult, and he’s after Josephine.
Meanwhile, in the present, Nicholas Lash continues his own search for Josephine, led on by a resurfaced memory of his childhood, when his father and Josephine crossed paths, with tragic consequences. Unfortunately, his investigation leads him down a very dark road, one that leads to a bleak, cold jail cell...
This is a slow burn story, but whatever Brubaker/Phillips is building up to, God only knows. Well, the Devil probably knows too...
August 5, 2015
Bullet Review:
I am attributing the lower rating on this volume to the fact it has been almost a year since I read volume 1.
Nick continues to investigate the strange woman in the past, while we watch this woman move through the 70's and a strange cult. Sometimes it was tough to distinguish the men apart, and gosh, are there a lot of MEN (not so many women, though there were some really good ones when they did appear). It's definitely creepy, spooky, and noir-y (look, I made a new word, Mommy!).
I have volume 3, so here we go!
I am attributing the lower rating on this volume to the fact it has been almost a year since I read volume 1.
Nick continues to investigate the strange woman in the past, while we watch this woman move through the 70's and a strange cult. Sometimes it was tough to distinguish the men apart, and gosh, are there a lot of MEN (not so many women, though there were some really good ones when they did appear). It's definitely creepy, spooky, and noir-y (look, I made a new word, Mommy!).
I have volume 3, so here we go!
February 11, 2013
Not quite as engaging as the previous volume. I think it's the new characters. The setting (70s Hollywood underworld) is promising enough. But I didn't find the new characters quite as relatable or interesting to read about. There's still plenty of mystery surrounding who or what Josephine is, even by the end. And lets face it: even Brubaker's mediocre noirish comics are better than a depressing amount of what else is out there.
October 14, 2021
Maybe moving forward a bit too slowly for my taste, but still very engaging and entertaining. i still really like the mix of old school noir pulp read, with a touch of dark horror to it.
June 27, 2017
An improvement over the first volume. The story starts to come together and things become a bit more clear.
June 5, 2015
It's hard to call the teamwork between Brubaker and Phillips anything but wonderful, but this is just such a filler of a sequel that it's hard not to be a little disappointed.
In this second volume, the story again bounces between the present day with Nicolas Lash and Josephine's past which this time takes place in 1970's Los Angeles.
In the present day segments, Lash is desperately trying to figure out who the hell Josephine was and why she rescued him and the crime novel manuscript that his godfather wrote but never published. In the process of trying to figure out why and how he has been involved with what's obviously a pretty shady situation, and why he cares so much about this woman he knows nothing about, Nicolas is pursued by some seriously scary men.
Meanwhile, in 1970's L.A., Jo has settled into a life as a recluse, trying to avoid contact with anyone other than her housekeeper/caretaker as she searches for a way to get a book that might have the answers she needs. Trouble is, said book resides in the hands of the sinister cult which wants to get their tentacled hands on her as soon as possible for purposes as yet unknown. The cult's leader can no longer use his supernatural abilities to track Jo thanks to Walter's actions at the end of the last volume but said cult leader is doing his best to find her with the money and connections that his cult has to the Hollywood industry. Additional side characters get involved with both the cult and Jo, allowing Jo to build a plan to get her hands on the book she so desperately needs.
Brubaker and Phillips are clearly building the suspense here, giving the reader a little more information on Jo's past, while still keeping you desperately wanting more, as well as giving a little insight into the cult's leader and his activities. Needless to say, he is one twisted son of a bitch.
The problem for me was that I didn't care about the additional side characters (Miles and Suzy) in the same way that I cared for Hank and Walter so it felt so much like filler. And after how amazing the first volume was, I can't help but feel like this one's a bit of a let down.
Despite that, this series is building towards something wonderfully dark and I'd recommend it with the caveat that it's not quite as good as the first one.
In this second volume, the story again bounces between the present day with Nicolas Lash and Josephine's past which this time takes place in 1970's Los Angeles.
In the present day segments, Lash is desperately trying to figure out who the hell Josephine was and why she rescued him and the crime novel manuscript that his godfather wrote but never published. In the process of trying to figure out why and how he has been involved with what's obviously a pretty shady situation, and why he cares so much about this woman he knows nothing about, Nicolas is pursued by some seriously scary men.
Meanwhile, in 1970's L.A., Jo has settled into a life as a recluse, trying to avoid contact with anyone other than her housekeeper/caretaker as she searches for a way to get a book that might have the answers she needs. Trouble is, said book resides in the hands of the sinister cult which wants to get their tentacled hands on her as soon as possible for purposes as yet unknown. The cult's leader can no longer use his supernatural abilities to track Jo thanks to Walter's actions at the end of the last volume but said cult leader is doing his best to find her with the money and connections that his cult has to the Hollywood industry. Additional side characters get involved with both the cult and Jo, allowing Jo to build a plan to get her hands on the book she so desperately needs.
Brubaker and Phillips are clearly building the suspense here, giving the reader a little more information on Jo's past, while still keeping you desperately wanting more, as well as giving a little insight into the cult's leader and his activities. Needless to say, he is one twisted son of a bitch.
The problem for me was that I didn't care about the additional side characters (Miles and Suzy) in the same way that I cared for Hank and Walter so it felt so much like filler. And after how amazing the first volume was, I can't help but feel like this one's a bit of a let down.
Despite that, this series is building towards something wonderfully dark and I'd recommend it with the caveat that it's not quite as good as the first one.
November 28, 2020
This is the spoiler free review of Fatale, the full series, a Lovecraftian noir graphic novel from the minds of Brubaker and Phillips. If you would like to read the spoiler full version complete with all of the weird monsters and revelations please visit https://amanjareads.com/2020/08/19/fa...
This was my introduction to the works of Brubaker and Phillips. And a solid one at that! I am excited to keep reading their dark noir graphic novels after this one.
Fatale is about a woman named Jo. She is mysterious, might be immortal, and definitely has a strong power over any man she meets. She also has ties to a monstrous cult that does all the classic sacrifices and blood pacts.
The series moves back and forth along a time line that is longer than Jo's youthful appearance would suggest. We get to see Jo's present, past, and ultimately what happens to her.
There are twists and turns, revelations, myths, and lots of sex and violence. There is absolutely no shortage of entertainment on these pages. If you are expecting to read this casually, reconsider. There is a ton packed on these pages.
Jo is an incredibly complex female protagonist. Yes, she is sexy, but she is so much more. She's haunted, powerful yet vulnerable, brave yet tired, and above all else she just wants to find a way out.
Fatale is a disturbing mystery that takes the reader across at least three generations as well as locations both grounded and mystical.
The art is absolutely stunning. Phillips really matches Brubaker's prose in both mood and intensity. They compliment each other seamlessly.
The main issue with this book is that it could be a little confusing at times. Particularly at the beginning when you still have no idea about the mythos surround Jo and the cult. It felt like there were a bunch of characters that I had no idea who they were or what their relationships were for at least three issues.
Additionally, volume 3 of Fatale is a weak middle run. It features several loosely connected stories surrounding women similar to Jo throughout history but it ultimately didn't add to the series overall.
Despite those couple of flaws I can still strongly recommend this book. I am very interested to read more from this pair and see how much more complex and dark they can get. It's always good to read anything new and they seem to have captured a mix of old style with new content.
Any noir fan should take a step out of their comfort zone to explore this graphic novel series.
This was my introduction to the works of Brubaker and Phillips. And a solid one at that! I am excited to keep reading their dark noir graphic novels after this one.
Fatale is about a woman named Jo. She is mysterious, might be immortal, and definitely has a strong power over any man she meets. She also has ties to a monstrous cult that does all the classic sacrifices and blood pacts.
The series moves back and forth along a time line that is longer than Jo's youthful appearance would suggest. We get to see Jo's present, past, and ultimately what happens to her.
There are twists and turns, revelations, myths, and lots of sex and violence. There is absolutely no shortage of entertainment on these pages. If you are expecting to read this casually, reconsider. There is a ton packed on these pages.
Jo is an incredibly complex female protagonist. Yes, she is sexy, but she is so much more. She's haunted, powerful yet vulnerable, brave yet tired, and above all else she just wants to find a way out.
Fatale is a disturbing mystery that takes the reader across at least three generations as well as locations both grounded and mystical.
The art is absolutely stunning. Phillips really matches Brubaker's prose in both mood and intensity. They compliment each other seamlessly.
The main issue with this book is that it could be a little confusing at times. Particularly at the beginning when you still have no idea about the mythos surround Jo and the cult. It felt like there were a bunch of characters that I had no idea who they were or what their relationships were for at least three issues.
Additionally, volume 3 of Fatale is a weak middle run. It features several loosely connected stories surrounding women similar to Jo throughout history but it ultimately didn't add to the series overall.
Despite those couple of flaws I can still strongly recommend this book. I am very interested to read more from this pair and see how much more complex and dark they can get. It's always good to read anything new and they seem to have captured a mix of old style with new content.
Any noir fan should take a step out of their comfort zone to explore this graphic novel series.
November 24, 2013
This felt like a sequel - new scenery, some of the same characters, deepening the mythology of the universe in which these stories live. It was good but not great y'know? Like you already knew the major elements of who and what, so this was just filling in the details?
I like it don't get me wrong - just hard to figure -*why* exactly. It's a sense that there's little unease or additional world-shattering mystery about to unfold in here.
It might hing on my shoddy memory of the details - of who and what occurred in the last trade, so I might've missed a few nuances that really made this sing. Jo seems just as much a cypher - or more - than who we met the last time. Dominic is endlessly superficial here, superfluous. Miles and Suzy and Hans and the rest of the gang, all expendable in this land of the Fatale, like they all exist to further serve Jo's almost lack-of-a-quest.
Wow do I sound disappointed - maybe this isn't something to read on a lazy Sunday afternoon, half-hazy brain just barely stringing sentences together, like a lizard sunning on a smooth, slightly mossy rock. Don't let the fanatics of the Brubaker/Phillips Mongol hordes get me, I didn't mean it honest!
I like it don't get me wrong - just hard to figure -*why* exactly. It's a sense that there's little unease or additional world-shattering mystery about to unfold in here.
It might hing on my shoddy memory of the details - of who and what occurred in the last trade, so I might've missed a few nuances that really made this sing. Jo seems just as much a cypher - or more - than who we met the last time. Dominic is endlessly superficial here, superfluous. Miles and Suzy and Hans and the rest of the gang, all expendable in this land of the Fatale, like they all exist to further serve Jo's almost lack-of-a-quest.
Wow do I sound disappointed - maybe this isn't something to read on a lazy Sunday afternoon, half-hazy brain just barely stringing sentences together, like a lizard sunning on a smooth, slightly mossy rock. Don't let the fanatics of the Brubaker/Phillips Mongol hordes get me, I didn't mean it honest!
September 15, 2013
I enjoyed the 2nd Volume, but not as much as the 1st. It still had me turning the pages and curious, but it just seemed like there wasn't as much that pulled me in, and I think it might have been the supporting characters...Mitch didn't have the same interest for me as Hank/Dominic. I would also have liked a bit more from Nick in the present day, but still, great visually, solid story.
Still looking forward to the next installment, as I do with almost anything Brubaker writes. Phillips is also a fantastic artist.
Still looking forward to the next installment, as I do with almost anything Brubaker writes. Phillips is also a fantastic artist.
July 11, 2021
Nebudu opakovat jak je to boží. To jsem napsal u prvního dílu a pořád to platí. Jen jsem čekal, že se děj posune o trošku více. Ve skutečnosti se to podobá prvnímu dílu, jen se děj odehrává o 20 let později. V odhalování záhad se to neposunulo ani o píď. Má to ale úžasný spád, je to napínavé a zkrátka to baví.
October 19, 2019
Easier to understand than volume 1, or maybe I was just paying more attention. Begins filing-in some details.
November 24, 2015
The more I read from Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips, the more I want to read.
May 11, 2021
Tak nevím, první knížka byl výborný start ale dvojka to docela pohřbívá. Můj největší problém je, že Brubaker vzal věci co mě vadily na jedničce a vytáhl je do extrému což mě hrozně mrzí. Vyprávění současnosti a minulosti je prostě zvláštní, to co se děje teď mě hrozně baví ale příběh minulý mě zklamal. V minulém booku jsem si oblíbil postavy a udělal si k nim nějaký vztah, no a Edík mi je prachsprostě ukradl a místo nich mi krom Jo naservíroval nemastné neslané charaktery.
Poslední číslo to spolu s Phillipsem a Stewartem zachraňuje, jinak jsme se docela nudil.
Poslední číslo to spolu s Phillipsem a Stewartem zachraňuje, jinak jsme se docela nudil.
July 6, 2017
I really like Fatale but this vol 2 was weaker than vol 1, I felt like something was missing. But still good, with the 50s noir atmosphere!
December 22, 2019
I'm starting to love this series more and more. It is a nice mix between a noir detective story and paranormal. Mainly, it is a lot of, albeit gory, fun.
February 23, 2017
Brubaker and Philips pick up a few months after the story present of "Death Chases Me" left off, and the proverbial plot thickens. This story held my attention a bit more as the nature of both Josephine and her antagonists became more clear. The extension of Josephine's incidental ability to compel men becomes clearer as are the costs to it. The sleazy of the 1970s and the cults around it play a role in the flashback plot. This sleazy is something Brubaker and Philips are particularly adapt at portraying in their noir conventions and somewhat traditional comic art, which really does mirror some of the comics of the era.
The character flaws remain: the leading men aren't good, but they are less bad than the cultists. You don't know if you are suppose to feel sorry for their moral failings or see their fates as justified. Josephine's moral character remains murky and at times inconsistent. Female characters that aren't Josephine generally are just their to be victimized and murdered, generally horribly, after showing how irresponsible the men who encounter Josephine become.
Nicolas Lash, the story present protagonist of the first book, remains here and his relationship to his uncle and the cult are explored. It becomes clearer that Nicholas is probably doomed himself, but also that this is contemporary. The setting, cars, etc. in the first book made the story present very hard to date--no cellphones, no computers (although there is a microfiche depicted).
That said, the stories still feel messy. The exact nature of Josephine does just seem unrevealed, it seems unclear. The depths of the tentacle faced antagonist is also unclear, but too much of them is shown for them to remain a shadowy menace.
That said, the pulp dialogue, the art, the mystery... it really keeps me coming back. Even a slightly off work for Brubaker and Philips is better than a lot of the "prestige" comics I read.
The character flaws remain: the leading men aren't good, but they are less bad than the cultists. You don't know if you are suppose to feel sorry for their moral failings or see their fates as justified. Josephine's moral character remains murky and at times inconsistent. Female characters that aren't Josephine generally are just their to be victimized and murdered, generally horribly, after showing how irresponsible the men who encounter Josephine become.
Nicolas Lash, the story present protagonist of the first book, remains here and his relationship to his uncle and the cult are explored. It becomes clearer that Nicholas is probably doomed himself, but also that this is contemporary. The setting, cars, etc. in the first book made the story present very hard to date--no cellphones, no computers (although there is a microfiche depicted).
That said, the stories still feel messy. The exact nature of Josephine does just seem unrevealed, it seems unclear. The depths of the tentacle faced antagonist is also unclear, but too much of them is shown for them to remain a shadowy menace.
That said, the pulp dialogue, the art, the mystery... it really keeps me coming back. Even a slightly off work for Brubaker and Philips is better than a lot of the "prestige" comics I read.
November 29, 2021
Even though i've read quite a few less than favorable reviews about this series, i thought to myself, well, i could adjust my expectations a bit, plus, i love Brubaker, Noir, and Lovecraftian Horror. But even going in with lowered expectations, this was pretty bad:
First of all, where is this story headed? I've read Volume 1, where the background of each character is established (more or less), but after that, every issue seems to follow the same procedure: Josephine runs away from Lovecraftian villains (or, the incarnation of the main villain, each time in a different host body, to be precise), each of them leading a different cult in every time period (Lunatics with daggers and red hoods in 1950s San Francisco, Manson-Family-esque cultists in 1978 Los Angeles, and so on). Each time the villains find out about her whereabouts, she seduces another man to act as a willing tool for her escape plans. rinse repeat.
Which brings me to the second, much bigger problem i had with this: why exactly is Josephine the protagonist/hero in this? I get it, she's the definition of a Femme Fatale, leading unsuspecting men (unintentionally) to their doom, but even then you have to give her character some likeable aspects if you expect the reader to care about her.
This series seems to be about her, but Josephine is strangely apathetic through all of this. She has no concrete plan for anything, more or less just reacting to everything happening to her, and being dragged along by other characters in the story.
Seriously, i cannot stress enough how useless Josephine as the lead is: she never learns, has no sense of consequence and should be dead a million times over, if it weren't for the poor schmucks throwing themselves in the firing line for her. I mean, the parts of the story set in the presence demonstrate that she's STILL a manipulative leech, destroying the lives of the people with her left and right, and leaving a ton of dead bodies in her wake. But don't worry, she now "hates herself even more", after every massacre that SHE could have prevented, something that's happened 20 times already up until now!
I'm not sure how to keep up my motivation reading this series, since i'm at issue 11 right now, and there are still 13 more to go. With no sense of direction or any kind of payoff, there really isn't that much to enjoy here, besides the gorgeous art.
First of all, where is this story headed? I've read Volume 1, where the background of each character is established (more or less), but after that, every issue seems to follow the same procedure: Josephine runs away from Lovecraftian villains (or, the incarnation of the main villain, each time in a different host body, to be precise), each of them leading a different cult in every time period (Lunatics with daggers and red hoods in 1950s San Francisco, Manson-Family-esque cultists in 1978 Los Angeles, and so on). Each time the villains find out about her whereabouts, she seduces another man to act as a willing tool for her escape plans. rinse repeat.
Which brings me to the second, much bigger problem i had with this: why exactly is Josephine the protagonist/hero in this? I get it, she's the definition of a Femme Fatale, leading unsuspecting men (unintentionally) to their doom, but even then you have to give her character some likeable aspects if you expect the reader to care about her.
This series seems to be about her, but Josephine is strangely apathetic through all of this. She has no concrete plan for anything, more or less just reacting to everything happening to her, and being dragged along by other characters in the story.
Seriously, i cannot stress enough how useless Josephine as the lead is: she never learns, has no sense of consequence and should be dead a million times over, if it weren't for the poor schmucks throwing themselves in the firing line for her. I mean, the parts of the story set in the presence demonstrate that she's STILL a manipulative leech, destroying the lives of the people with her left and right, and leaving a ton of dead bodies in her wake. But don't worry, she now "hates herself even more", after every massacre that SHE could have prevented, something that's happened 20 times already up until now!
I'm not sure how to keep up my motivation reading this series, since i'm at issue 11 right now, and there are still 13 more to go. With no sense of direction or any kind of payoff, there really isn't that much to enjoy here, besides the gorgeous art.
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