The Fade Out, Vol. 1

I purchased and read volumes 1-3 (the story ends in 3). This three part graphic novels shows what graphic novels can be, but often are not. The art of very good, the plot is interesting and well done. The characters are complex and, in some cases, have unexpected depth. The graphic novels has the feel of the movie Chinatown or LA Confidential. This is the post war noir Los Angeles, with its corrupt polices and out of control movie studio bosses and actors. This is a time when fortunes were built in Los Angeles and in the movie business. Women and sex was seen by some as a reward for power and money in a stark and raw way that is not true in the twenty first century. The story also has the feel of the movies of the era. In those movies men often get into fist fights with other men. The idea that slugging someone might be criminal assault is alien. This is men acting like school year boys. The constant fist fights are the only element of the story that didn't work for me. Fist fights between men are serious and sometimes result in death or serious injury. Except in the movies, where none of that seems to happen. And perhaps that's the point. Reading this graphic novel is like watching a movie made in the 1940s and 1950s. Another 1940s and 1950s movie element in the plot is that almost everyone smokes. And they smoke everywhere - in cars, inside buildings. Whenever they get nervous or upset they light up. At one point the narrator of the story mentions that the two main characters are alcoholics who would not be bothered by that diagnosis. They drink hard liqueur constantly and this is a part of the story line, since there are blackouts and actions that only someone who was drunk would undertake. To a reader in 2016 this noir world of the late 1940s seems like a strange and alien world. But it adds to the movie and noir quality of The Fade Out. After reading this graphic novel, I'm going to look up some of the other work by the authors.

I love the movie backdrop to this story. It begins with the setup of the book itself (this first part is labeled act one after all). From there it goes into Hollywood in the late 1940s or early 1950s. The starlet of the film that's always sort of in the background has been found dead. Brubaker and Phillips sure know how to set a hook on a story. The characters are all interesting. There is definitely something shady going on and everyone seems to be involved in some way. Unpacking where each character fits in is quite a bit of fun. This book is more of a setup for things to come than anything else, but it does it so well. And the art is superb. It captures the essence of the period perfectly. Anyone with a passing interest in noir type stories should check this out.

The story and the artwork are utterly engaging. There no escaping the pull of the story as we become emotionally connected to the flawed characters and interested in the plot. Set in the Hollywood film industry during the red scare, this is a masterful work. Highly recommended.

Man, this is just a great story. Glad I'm buying the comics as well, but also nice to have the trade for getting others hooked. I also suggest to everyone to get the comics, as there's also a small section in the back about a solved or unsolved murder, or other true stories in the same era as the main.

This is a superb first book in the series. Brubaker's plot is dense, and Phillips' art hits all the right notes. If anything, I will say that Brubaker's propensity for narration boxes during his scenes lowers the effect of the story overall for me. He does a great job setting a scene and character interactions, but then the dialogue gives way to a series of narration boxes that explain the scenes away. While I love this approach when it comes to recap pages, it is difficult to have the level of emotional investment the subject matter and presentation deserves when I never feel like I am fully allowed to get a sense of the characters' voices.

I used to exclusively collect Silver Age DC war comics like Unknown Soldier, etc. Then - maybe a year ago - my local comic shop introduced me to The Fade Out. It's changed my relationship with comics completely. I now only read the new stuff - mostly from Image - and am slowly winnowing down my older items. I really do think that comics are having a new Golden Age, and The Fade Out is a huge part of it for me. It's really changed my reading habits, much for the better! Thanks Brubaker and Phillips!

I've read quite a bit of Brubaker and Phillips, from SLEEPER to INCOGNITO to CRIMINAL to FATALE, so I think I was hoping for more from this series than what I got. A Hollywood screenwriter working during the Blacklist era wakes up next to a dead actress and watches helplessly as the studio tries to cover up her death and move on. Except for a potential connection to the government and Communists, there's really not much to go on in this first volume. If it wasn't for Brubaker and Phillips' prior record of consistently good work, I'd be tempted to give Volume 2 a pass whenever it comes out. I hate to think the talented pair is resting on their laurels, but that's how this book certainly reads.

I bought this book on a recommendation. I ordered both books after reading a few sample pages of the first. Excellent story, edge of your seat suspense with a classic Hollywood appeal.

Ed Brubaker ist ein Meister des Crime Noir und in THE FADE OUT erzählt er vom Hollywood-Schreiber Charlie Parish, der nicht nur vom Krieg traumatisiert ist, sondern noch andere Geheimnisse hat, die ihn belasten. Das Jahr ist 1948, und gerade ist Val, die die weibliche Hauptrolle des Films spielen soll, für den Charlie das Drehbuch schreibt, tot aufgefunden worden. Charlies Erinnerung an die Todesnacht ist mehr als fragmentarisch, zuviel Alkohol, trotzdem weiß er etwas, das außer ihm nur zwei Menschen wissen: dass Val sich nicht das Leben genommen hat, sondern ermordet wurde. Aber weder er, noch die Filmgesellschaft, noch der Mörder haben ein Interesse daran, dass die Tat verfolgt wird. Angesiedelt in der Blütezeit des Noir und der Zeit der paranoiden Kommunistenverfolgung stellt Brubaker mit THE FADE OUT einmal mehr sein Können unter Beweis, wieder einmal im Team mit Sean Phillips, dessen Artwork den Zeitgeist perfekt einfängt. Zu diesem Team muss eigentlich nichts weiter gesagt werden, darum komme ich - wie schon in meiner Review zu Kirkmans OUTCAST - viel lieber auf diese Dame zu sprechen: Elizabeth Breitweiser! Sie zeichnet für die Kolorierung der Artwork verantwortlich und stellt einmal mehr unter Beweis, welche Bedeutung die Kolorierung hat; sehr treffend sagt sie es mit eigenen Worten in einem Interview: "As a colorist, I think it's important to consider myself an artist and story teller first and worry about everything else later. Ideally, a colorist should be well-versed in design elements/principals and human anatomy. It's my job to integrate color with line art, so the finished product feels whole and complete and not like separate parts fighting for attention. [Today] with all the shiny, crazy, spectacular things you can do with Photoshop, it's easy for a colorist to swallow up the line art. In my opinion, a good colorist should accent the line art and follow the artist and writer's visual clues for story telling. We should use color theory, value and texture harmoniously with the line art to help lead the reader's eye around the page and create form, emphasis, variety, movement/rhythm, atmosphere, and mood. Like it's been said a million times before: fantastic color can save bad art, and terrible color can destroy really great art." In FADE OUT treffen "fantastic color" und "great art" aufeinander mit dem Ergebnis, dass es keine nebensächlichen Panels gibt. Jedes einzelne Bild ist stimmungsvoll, ausdrucksstark und verdient Bewunderung. Fazit: Toll erzählter erster Teil eines spannenden Noir Krimis mit wunderbarer Artwork und fantastischer Kolorierung; ich freue mich schon auf Teil zwei. 5 Sterne, weil es 6 nicht gibt!

quale che sia l'eopoca storica in cui Brubaker proietta i suoi personaggi, riesce ad essere sempre estremamente coinvolgente e convincente. Animi umani e sentimenti sono sempre resi ben vividi. Mi e' piaciuta l'idea del cammeo di Clark Gable, a contestualizzare ulteriormente l'ambientazione.

El cómic es genial, guión, dibujo y color encajan a la perfección entregando una historia de novela negra de primera clase que te absorbe desde el principio. Ed Brubaker y sus colaboradores son sinónimo de calidad en todos los aspectos de un cómic. Amazon España vende muchos cómics de las editoriales originales de USA (Image en este caso) sin que tengas que esperar a que se publique aquí tiempo después, a diferencia del Amazon de otros países. Eso sí, en inglés, pero si tu nivel lo permite, es un valor añadido. Además, generalmente son ligeramente más baratos que las ediciones españolas.

What a refreshing break from the norm! This series is awesome, it has such a clever storyline. The characters are a bit cliche but that just helps you engage with the story quicker. The little Character Biography page at the start of the book is a neat touch too. There are some funny lines throughout, interspersed within some pretty graphic content and risque artwork; every bit of it helps to tell the story, nothing is there just for the sake of it. The story/artwork has a bit of an 'L.A. Confidential' look about it, and that's a good thing. The Fade Out could very easily be adapted to screen; it's pretty much a screen play and story board all in one as it stands. It really is good. Buy it; you'll love it! It even has a cameo by Clark ('frankly my dear...') Gable!. Priceless. Cant wait to read Act 2; going to buy it right now..

Uma história que conta sobre os bastidores de Hollywood e principalmente sobre o senso de culpa que carregamos com nós mesmos devido a ações que cometemos no passado. Ótima arte e roteiro.