Ain't No Grave #3
Writer: Skottie Young
Illustrator: Jorge Corona
Colorist: Jean-Francois Beaulieu
Publisher: Image (July 2024)
Spoilers Ahead
Up until very recently, I really only thought of Skottie Young as an artist with a cartoony style who did some Wizard of Oz adaptations that I never read. He wasn't on my radar, although I was well aware that he'd long ago set out to make something of himself as an indie creator. Walking into a comic shop a few months ago, I happened upon the first issue of he and artist Jorge Corona's new series Ain't No Grave and was struck by the impressive cover art. Flipping through it I discovered a western-fantasy hybrid that I never knew I wanted and now look forward to every single month.
If you haven't been reading Ain't No Grave, the basic setup is that Ryder, our protagonist, is dying and she's on a mission to kill Death. Ryder wants to stay alive for her husband Darius and daughter Joey, but the illness that's killing her can't be cured by conventional means. Her journey has brought her to Cyprus, the city at the end of the world, where she now seeks out Death and, hopefully, a means to survive.
In this third issue, Ryder finds herself aboard Her Blind Majesty, a casino riverboat where players get into high stakes card games with the imposing Madam Gates, The same surreal vibe of the first two issues carries over here. Her Blind Majesty is filled with deformed rogues, people who look somewhere between wild west gentlemen and zombies. Servers walk the halls with sacks over their heads and the preternatural Madam Gates seems to fill the room with her enormous hat, bright red glasses, and giant personality. They're playing for what Madam Gates calls a Marker, which Ryder will apparently be able to use to barter with Death in some capacity.
As has been the case throughout the story, Young doesn't go very deep into the mechanics of how things work. I wonder what Markers are, why the bowels of the ship are filled with hooded, naked men, and why the people of Cyprus all look like monsters—but I also kind of don't want to know. I don't want the mystery explained because half the fun is the wonder of not knowing. Everything in Ain't No Grave has this delightful, mysterious nature that simultaneously begs for an explanation while also providing just enough insight that it's funner to be denied one. There's magic in the air of Cyprus, and not knowing how it all works is part of the enchantment.
That sense of the extraordinary is equally fueled by Jorge Corona's stunning art. I'd never seen his work before Ain't No Grave, but from issue one I've been absolutely hooked. Corona's style is reminiscent of Young's, but less cartoony. Panels are stuffed with details. Scratchy lines and swirls that make up dirt and wood, along with rough strokes that comprise Ryder's hair and face. It's all so damned gorgeous without ever trying to look like a photograph. Corona is a legit artist in the way that legends like John Romita, Jr. and the Kubert brothers are—they've developed their own unique styles that capture the spirit of the real world without trying to be a replica of it. I can't think of anyone else who could have brought this story to life the way he has.
I'd be remiss if I don't also mention the sublime color art by Jean-Francois Beaulieu. Beaulieu's style has hints of Dave Stewart and Dean White, but is still distinctly his own. His palette is a brilliant compliment to Corona's line work, never overwhelming it and always enhancing every scene. When Ryder is in the present in Cyprus, pages are soaked with warm red and pink hues, while images of the past skew more realistic with cooler shades of blue and green. It's the ideal marriage between artist and colorist that remains elusive in much of the mainstream.
Each issue has been named after the five stages of grief, with this one titled Bargaining. And Ryder is indeed doing exactly that as she takes to the card table to win her Marker. Throughout Ain't No Grave, Young has interspersed flashbacks that help fill in Ryder's past while also mirroring her state in the present day. In this case, we see that Ryder will sometimes take the easy way out to win, including cheating. In the past, Darius chastises Ryder for being reckless and setting a bad example for Joey, but in the present her antics pay off—with a price. Madam Gates knows Ryder cheated, and there's a fun interaction between the two where Ryder smugly points out that Gates never said how Ryder had to win. This puts a big grin on Madam Gates' face and she begrudgingly gives Ryder her Marker, followed by a swift beatdown on principle as the crew tosses Ryder from the boat and into the water. Ryder floats until she eventually hits the shore near an ominous, high cliff with some kind of house perched atop it. Bloodied and battered, Ryder's next destination is in her sights.
Ain't No Grave will remain in mine until it concludes in two issues. This is masterful storytelling from two creators at the peak of their skills. If you're a fan of offbeat westerns like Sam Raimi's The Quick and the Dead, in particular, I think you'll especially enjoy this book, but really anyone should be able to pick this series up and have a blast. I can't recommend this comic enough. Go read it.
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