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The Gentleman #2
Publisher: SFC Comics
Story: Greg Anderson-Elysée
Art: Massimiliano Veltri
Colors: Marco Pagnotta
Letters: Marco Della Verde
Cover: Massimiliano Veltri & Marco Pagnotta

Greg Anderson-Elysée opens up this horror/noir tale with one of the most sincere and beautiful father/son moments in comics since that hug between Spencer and Raymond in Excellence #1. This sequence between a young Oliver and his dad hits so hard because of how well Greg does relationships and shows us the nuances of the human condition. His character building is steady and with each panel he builds towards these little climaxes right before reminding us exactly how serious things are in The Gentleman and we won’t be staying in moments like these for long.

As we are pulled farther into this world, Oliver officially begins the investigation regarding the deaths mentioned in the first issue. Though as more is discovered about the group the more doubt is cast on Espere. She seems to be an outcast from her family and a bit of an outlier to her own people. Just several more layers added that keep things from becoming predictable while daring you to want to know more about her if she has any ulterior motives. Considering the amount of power that resides within Oliver this will be interesting to see play out over the next couple of issues. Because form the looks of the cover I’m not really getting a trustworthy vibe from Espere. 

Veltri and Pagnotta’s artwork continues to visually impress and enhances the narrative from start to finish. Their design for The Void itself looks like every bad feeling from your darkest nightmares brought to life. Pagnotta’s colors especially highlight the shower scene where Ralph had the audacity to slide in there like he was about to get that old thing back. Though as good as the art is, there was a moment things weren’t as clear. During the investigation sequence some of the panels seemed too small for the images and the word balloons. Things looked cluttered at times and it messed with the flow of the narrative/art dynamic. Things do open up as we get to closer to the next action sequence where we’re treated to more nice visuals. It’s an impactful moment that goes over well and with a few surprises. 

The Gentleman is giving us characters and relationships not often seen in this genre which is refreshing on several levels. The only thing that keeps it from being greater would be the amount of time between issues. Stories like this are a slow burn and to have that momentum slowed more by time between issues might not be for some readers. Other than that, The Gentleman deserves your attention and a place in your read pile.

Infinite Speech
infinitespeech@comicattack.net