FELL

As I've grown older my tastes in reading have always shifted. In recent years I've been drawn more to crime drama. Not the kind you'll see on one of the six or seven Law & Order shows. Think stories like you see on The Shield on F/X where characters aren't always what they seem and there's a very thin, gray line drawn in the sand that keeps shifting as the characters (and authors) see fit. A good example of that kind of story is Andrew Vachss' Burke series (of which I'll have to talk about another day).

Right now I want to introduce anyone who stops by here to a little book published by Image Comics called FELL.

Written by genius and madman (the two go hand in hand more often than not) Warren Ellis, Fell is a about Detective Richard Fell who has crossed the bridge from the big city into Snowtown to escape his past.

While Richard Fell and his life on the job is the main focus of the book, the city of Snowtown is just as important, so much so that it's a character all on its own. Dark and twisted, it's almost like Gotham City on crack.

Each issue, Warren Ellis busts his balls to give us a complete-in-one, eighteen page story with back up materials that range from where he got the idea for this months tale, where he's going, where he's been, and letters from fans and all for $1.99 making it the best deal in comic stores today. Warren Ellis also takes a unique approach to storytelling in FELL. Each story is scripted on a traditional nine-panel grid format. While there may not be nine panels on every page, the action can be broken down into a nine panel grid if you look close enough.

At this time I'm not sure when the collected edition will be out. Most of you that want to start from the beginning will have to wait for that or be willing to shell out about $10 at a convention or bidding on eBay for issue #1. When it does hit, Fell Vol #1 will collect issues #1-8 plus I'm sure Mr. Ellis will throw in some additional materials for his fans and new readers alike.

Till next time...