Illustrated by: Jacen Burrows
Released by: Avatar
Scars opens with the aftermath of a huge drug deal turned bloodbath. Bodies everywhere. A whole room painted with violence…. and an ominous 55 gallon drum in the corner. As it turns out the dealers were using dead babies to smuggle the drugs overseas. 1st page! This isn’t even giving anything away. This is just a taste of the madness to come in following pages. This is just the first morning wake-up call for Detective John Cain, and partner Detective Amersham. The real story begins when a worker for a Christian charity shop finds 3 small card-board boxes after closing up for the night. Upon opening one she discovers something much more gruesome than moldy cloths, or expired can goods.
John Cain is a man coming back to the force after suffering a huge emotional loss, one he will never get over. For him this case hits close to home, and he obsesses over finding the person who could reduce an 11 year old girl to enough meat to fill 3 small boxes. He retraces her steps, and interviews everyone she knew.
Tiffany is a very proud & privileged little girl. Her parents trust her enough to let her walk 3 blocks to her friend’s house. She went missing for 3 months. 90 days. All of which she was alive for – enduring a slow torture, claims the pathologist. Worst part is... this was just the first. The cruel craft of a serial killer who just recently realized what he liked to do. John Cain will not rest until justice for Tiffany is served.
Tiffany is a very proud & privileged little girl. Her parents trust her enough to let her walk 3 blocks to her friend’s house. She went missing for 3 months. 90 days. All of which she was alive for – enduring a slow torture, claims the pathologist. Worst part is... this was just the first. The cruel craft of a serial killer who just recently realized what he liked to do. John Cain will not rest until justice for Tiffany is served.
Warren Ellis, (Transmetropolitan, No Hero, Black Gas, and Black Summer) shows how sometimes a good cop needs to get dirty, because sometimes even justice can’t make things right. Sometimes evil must be made to suffer. His dark look at humanity, and how the world really is, does wonders for this story. Making it better, more horrific, honest, & human then anything CSI could ever flash at you. Teamed up with Jacen Burrows (Chronicles of Wormwood, 303, Crossed) who lends his clean, crisp, matter-of-fact, pencils to this savage crime-drama; sharply rendered in black and white giving it that gritty, urban, concrete, feel of the beat. It provides a dark, dead-serious tone to the plot.
This is a great way to get introduced to both/either of these talented writer/artists. It’s short. Only one TPB long, but god damn is it powerful. I would give it a 9-10 solely based on the fact that I could read it forever, though the end seemed a bit rushed so I had to subtract a point to be fair. Do yourself a solid and get this. You won’t be sorry, and even if you are it only took about 1 hour to read.
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