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Fatale #3-5
Fatale Integral 2
¡Termina la obra maestra de los autores de Criminal e Incognito! En Fatale se dan cita secretos, mentiras, terror, lujuria y monstruos de la noche de los tiempos. ¡Sólo Brubaker y Phillips podrían haber unido el género negro con el terror de H. P. Lovecraft!
430 pages, Hardcover
Published September 1, 2018
10 people are currently reading
301 people want to read
About the author
Ed Brubaker
1,800 books3,039 followersEd Brubaker (born November 17, 1966) is an Eisner Award-winning American cartoonist and writer. He was born at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland.
Brubaker is best known for his work as a comic book writer on such titles as Batman, Daredevil, Captain America, Iron Fist, Catwoman, Gotham Central and Uncanny X-Men. In more recent years, he has focused solely on creator-owned titles for Image Comics, such as Fatale, Criminal, Velvet and Kill or Be Killed.
In 2016, Brubaker ventured into television, joining the writing staff of the HBO series Westworld.
Brubaker is best known for his work as a comic book writer on such titles as Batman, Daredevil, Captain America, Iron Fist, Catwoman, Gotham Central and Uncanny X-Men. In more recent years, he has focused solely on creator-owned titles for Image Comics, such as Fatale, Criminal, Velvet and Kill or Be Killed.
In 2016, Brubaker ventured into television, joining the writing staff of the HBO series Westworld.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
March 17, 2024
"Rain and thunder and lightning
Crumbling
Buildings falling, hurricanes
Earth-shattering
Membranes scattering
Insane happening
Souls keeps burning
And the sky keeps plummeting down..."
The sky is falling on our femme fatale, our misunderstood woman, our perpetual sacrifice on the altar of our gods, our lure, our bait, our guy-magnet, our projection of our deepest desires, our our our our our, she is ours, she rules us, we own her, she owns us, our eternal goddess. Anyway, she's on the run. Brubaker keeps her on the run for most of this sequel, her unasked-for powers of fatal attraction creating death and destruction everywhere she flees. But then she decides to fight back. Why should the world rise or fall on the destiny of one woman, why does she deserve such a fate? The author continues his deconstruction then reconstruction of the femme fatale archetype, examining the misogyny implicit in such a template, the actual woman behind that facade so often lost, villainized, demonized. He gives her a history. He gives her antagonists a history as well, of sorts. The dragons demand a sacrifice, they always will, we wake them and they hunger, we wake them again and again. The cultists chase, their bishop plots, the men love and then are destroyed, the woman seeks rescue, the cycle repeats.
The art by Sean Phillips is phenomenal, the dark and shadowy film noir stylings shapeshifting into bloody horror, heads exploding and infants hanging from a tree, and finally transforming into full-blown hallucination in the last chapters. All the better to capture the true nature of this immortal temptress, victim, and heroine; all the better to capture the horror that has made her. There is a timeless legend of a kingdom under siege by dragons; the king puts forth a sacrifice, always a woman; the knights ride to her rescue, always men. The cycle continues; the dragons continue to destroy, they are the sky falling down on humanity with every atrocity, war, or genocide. How can one woman, one sacrifice, stop the sky from falling? How can her death save the kingdom, the world? The book provides answers: she can't, it can't. There be dragons, and she is just one woman against them. But in the end, to even have an end, perhaps she can rescue herself, at least.
Crumbling
Buildings falling, hurricanes
Earth-shattering
Membranes scattering
Insane happening
Souls keeps burning
And the sky keeps plummeting down..."
The sky is falling on our femme fatale, our misunderstood woman, our perpetual sacrifice on the altar of our gods, our lure, our bait, our guy-magnet, our projection of our deepest desires, our our our our our, she is ours, she rules us, we own her, she owns us, our eternal goddess. Anyway, she's on the run. Brubaker keeps her on the run for most of this sequel, her unasked-for powers of fatal attraction creating death and destruction everywhere she flees. But then she decides to fight back. Why should the world rise or fall on the destiny of one woman, why does she deserve such a fate? The author continues his deconstruction then reconstruction of the femme fatale archetype, examining the misogyny implicit in such a template, the actual woman behind that facade so often lost, villainized, demonized. He gives her a history. He gives her antagonists a history as well, of sorts. The dragons demand a sacrifice, they always will, we wake them and they hunger, we wake them again and again. The cultists chase, their bishop plots, the men love and then are destroyed, the woman seeks rescue, the cycle repeats.
The art by Sean Phillips is phenomenal, the dark and shadowy film noir stylings shapeshifting into bloody horror, heads exploding and infants hanging from a tree, and finally transforming into full-blown hallucination in the last chapters. All the better to capture the true nature of this immortal temptress, victim, and heroine; all the better to capture the horror that has made her. There is a timeless legend of a kingdom under siege by dragons; the king puts forth a sacrifice, always a woman; the knights ride to her rescue, always men. The cycle continues; the dragons continue to destroy, they are the sky falling down on humanity with every atrocity, war, or genocide. How can one woman, one sacrifice, stop the sky from falling? How can her death save the kingdom, the world? The book provides answers: she can't, it can't. There be dragons, and she is just one woman against them. But in the end, to even have an end, perhaps she can rescue herself, at least.
March 8, 2017
The many lives and deaths of Josephine, our immortal femme fatale, are extraordinary. Volume 1 breaks the ice, but Volume 2 plummets the cold oceanic depths.
I can't even review this to do it justice. The story now spans a near-millennium, detailing the love, lust, and tragedies of a cursed woman. Texas 1936. France 1286. Colorado 1883. Romania 1943. Seattle 1995. Northern California 2014. San Francisco 1906. Each setting unique and with its own complications. Ed Brubaker's story is horrific, supernatural, noir, and darkly romantic, and one of the greatest in indie comics I've ever read.
Sean Phillips really steps it up. His gritty realism continues, but the emotions and panel progressions are even more spectacular, not merely cinematic, but as if you're actually there. The wide panels and splash pages, especially those that are painted, are just perfect. Dave Stewart and Elizabeth Breitweiser color the first and second halves of the book and they are equally incredible. Muted, deep, and textured. The artwork brings this world to life.
Just incredible. One of the most complex and ambitious comic works I've ever read, and probably the best from Brubaker so far, in my opinion. Do yourself a favor and check out the underrated Fatale series.
February 10, 2017
Fatale: Deluxe Edition, Volume 2 is a stunningly beautiful piece of cosmic horror meets noir.
This one has two essays at the end, like the first one did, both by Jess Nevins. This time around the subjects are H.P. Lovecraft, (again), and Aleister Crowley. I found both to be interesting and informative.
In this volume we learn more about where Josephine has been and where she's going and of course there are a few sexy times in between, most especially when she does a video for the rock band Amsterdam. As always happens with Jo, the good times start rolling into dark times at the flick of a switch, and they keep on rolling right down to the depths of hell.
I can't recommend these enough-especially if you enjoy classic tropes turned on their heads and lots of tentacles in your artwork.
This one has two essays at the end, like the first one did, both by Jess Nevins. This time around the subjects are H.P. Lovecraft, (again), and Aleister Crowley. I found both to be interesting and informative.
In this volume we learn more about where Josephine has been and where she's going and of course there are a few sexy times in between, most especially when she does a video for the rock band Amsterdam. As always happens with Jo, the good times start rolling into dark times at the flick of a switch, and they keep on rolling right down to the depths of hell.
I can't recommend these enough-especially if you enjoy classic tropes turned on their heads and lots of tentacles in your artwork.
November 25, 2018
The femme fatale is a figure as old as time, from Salome and Lady Macbeth all the way to Mal Cobb in Inception. The Fatale series takes this idea and runs with it, with this volume continuing to explore the legacy of our cursed femme fatale throughout the ages and finally tying it all together in an epic climax where Josephine confronts the forces that are out to exploit her and Nicolas Lash's story comes to a shocking end. It's refreshingly character-focused, and it's blend of cosmic horror and classic noir is ambitious and original. Must-read for fans of both the noir and horror genres.
December 11, 2015
A grim story with an interesting premise. Didn't have the twists and turns some of Brubaker's other writing does. Sadly this ends up being on the lower end of the scale for Brubaker's stuff for me.
June 20, 2021
An excellent graphic novel that blends crime noir with Lovecraftian horror. Brubaker shows, once again, that we're all on the losing side of eternity. And he proves, once again, that he and Sean Philips are among the best graphic novels writers ever.
December 13, 2016
A little shaky, but still an impressive dismount for this incredibly entertaining series. Brubaker and Phillips have yet again delivered a genre-bending ode to noir that's right up there with their best work. Whereas the previous volume raised more questions than it answered, this volume dives headfirst into answering them, and the answers are, for the most part, satisfying.
That said, it feels like the team had to do a little heavy lifting to get into position for addressing these lingering mysteries. The book opens with a series of a short stories about previous holders of the power Jo controls, and what ultimately happened to them (as you can probably guess, nothing good). It's a thought-provoking and intriguing way of foreshadowing all that's to happen in the latter two-thirds of the book, while sometimes feeling like a bit of a stall. That said, in retrospect these stories do a lot to service the central plot, but sometimes the in-the-moment reading of them felt a little labored.
Then we get back to Jo, and it's basically a straight shot to the end, as the present-day storyline we've been witnessing in short bursts since the beginning of the series begins to merge with the past, finally building to a huge climax. I found the final third of the book, which is all set in the present, to be the most compelling storyline of the entire series, and absolutely could not put it down. All these little details Brubaker's been dropping throughout the series start to add up and pay off, and it's great to see that he knew where he was going this whole time.
However, I feel like the need to tie all the little bits together sometimes superseded Brubaker's previous devotion to character. Jo's aura of mystery starts to fall off a little bit as the story progresses, replaced with a lot of forward plot movement instead. It's arguable which is better, but I did miss the character development a little bit towards the end. I also didn't love a certain reveal about what drives her to do what she does, as it felt a little cliche. I won't say what it is, but I bet you'll know what I'm talking about.
All in all, though, Fatale is a fabulous series that reads like a great detective novel laid on top of a great cosmic horror novel. It's weird and dark and violent and borderline hopeless, but that's what makes it work.
That said, it feels like the team had to do a little heavy lifting to get into position for addressing these lingering mysteries. The book opens with a series of a short stories about previous holders of the power Jo controls, and what ultimately happened to them (as you can probably guess, nothing good). It's a thought-provoking and intriguing way of foreshadowing all that's to happen in the latter two-thirds of the book, while sometimes feeling like a bit of a stall. That said, in retrospect these stories do a lot to service the central plot, but sometimes the in-the-moment reading of them felt a little labored.
Then we get back to Jo, and it's basically a straight shot to the end, as the present-day storyline we've been witnessing in short bursts since the beginning of the series begins to merge with the past, finally building to a huge climax. I found the final third of the book, which is all set in the present, to be the most compelling storyline of the entire series, and absolutely could not put it down. All these little details Brubaker's been dropping throughout the series start to add up and pay off, and it's great to see that he knew where he was going this whole time.
However, I feel like the need to tie all the little bits together sometimes superseded Brubaker's previous devotion to character. Jo's aura of mystery starts to fall off a little bit as the story progresses, replaced with a lot of forward plot movement instead. It's arguable which is better, but I did miss the character development a little bit towards the end. I also didn't love a certain reveal about what drives her to do what she does, as it felt a little cliche. I won't say what it is, but I bet you'll know what I'm talking about.
All in all, though, Fatale is a fabulous series that reads like a great detective novel laid on top of a great cosmic horror novel. It's weird and dark and violent and borderline hopeless, but that's what makes it work.
April 2, 2016
In 'Fatale Vol. 2: Deluxe Edition' Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips do what they do best. I can not say enough good things about how good their stories are.
Fatale is a horror story about Josephine, a woman that seems to be immortal and no man can refuse. Whether she wants to or not, the men around her are influenced by her to the point where they will even kill themselves at her command. A mysterious man known as the Bishop is after her for his own purposes. Josephine's stories in this volume are mostly told at different periods during the Twentieth Century, but there are a few earlier stories. She finds allies along the way with mysterious librarians and people who can give themselves tattoos or symbols to make themselves immune to her. There are also her hapless victims. A flailing alternative band in 1990s Seattle, a group of soldiers in Nazi Germany. Her attempts to be rid of the curse of herself seems destined to fail.
Collecting Fatale volumes 3 through 5 and weighing in at over 400 pages, this is a really good collector's edition with lots of the process of creating comics included. There are also reprints of some of the columns included in the single issues that were written by Jess Nevins. His history essays are very good and talk about Aleister Crowley and the H.P. Lovecraft, two big influences on the work here.
Previously, I had read volume 4, and hadn't read previous work in the series. This helped make that volume make sense. Some have said they didn't like how the series ended, but I like it quite fine. As I mentioned, the writing and art is as good as you get in comics these days and the creators make a nod to colorist Elizabeth Breitweiser. Here work here lends itself really well.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Diamond Book Distributors, Image Comics, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this fine graphic novel.
Fatale is a horror story about Josephine, a woman that seems to be immortal and no man can refuse. Whether she wants to or not, the men around her are influenced by her to the point where they will even kill themselves at her command. A mysterious man known as the Bishop is after her for his own purposes. Josephine's stories in this volume are mostly told at different periods during the Twentieth Century, but there are a few earlier stories. She finds allies along the way with mysterious librarians and people who can give themselves tattoos or symbols to make themselves immune to her. There are also her hapless victims. A flailing alternative band in 1990s Seattle, a group of soldiers in Nazi Germany. Her attempts to be rid of the curse of herself seems destined to fail.
Collecting Fatale volumes 3 through 5 and weighing in at over 400 pages, this is a really good collector's edition with lots of the process of creating comics included. There are also reprints of some of the columns included in the single issues that were written by Jess Nevins. His history essays are very good and talk about Aleister Crowley and the H.P. Lovecraft, two big influences on the work here.
Previously, I had read volume 4, and hadn't read previous work in the series. This helped make that volume make sense. Some have said they didn't like how the series ended, but I like it quite fine. As I mentioned, the writing and art is as good as you get in comics these days and the creators make a nod to colorist Elizabeth Breitweiser. Here work here lends itself really well.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Diamond Book Distributors, Image Comics, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this fine graphic novel.
December 14, 2015
Glad to finally read this since I lost track of this series about midway through. I love the collaborations between Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips, from Sleeper to Criminal to Incognito and now The Fade-Out, and Fatale is among the best. The series follows a mysterious woman as she moves through various time periods, always seeming to drive some men crazy with her beauty/allure, while being a target for others. It's never really entirely clear what is going on with this woman, but there's a strong Lovecraftian vibe running through all of this that keeps the stories never less than fascinating. This volume looks at the mystery woman in several past vignettes: medieval France, the old West, etc. Then there's an extended sequence wherein she comes into the orbit of a struggling rock band in Seattle. And then there's the concluding arc. It's all very mysterious, although a few answers are finally provided, and the artwork by Phillips drives things beautifully. If I had one complaint, it would be that the whole thing remains just a bit too unclear and enigmatic at the end. But I guess that's rather fitting, given the subject matter. High recommendation.
December 18, 2015
Fatale is a series that I loved the concept and the execution almost immediately and I was very excited to see how the series concluded. Normally I would review each volume in detail, but I think I will instead just discuss the volume as a whole to keep this review more concise. It seems that some people find the ending either to be surprising and not what they wanted or pretty much perfect. I think it is absolutely perfect and I love the way it focuses on the protagonist instead of the plot as many comics often do. While I didn't feel it with Volume 3, Volumes 4 and 5 were incredibly hard to put down. The level of suspense and wanting to know what would happen next were irresistible. The volume on the grunge band in Seattle was just incredible and such a smart adaptation of noir into a new setting and time period as well. I was also impressed by the way the characters got fleshed out and how the noir conventions were combined with Lovecraft throughout Fatale too. If you like Josephine's character and the idea of the Femme Fatale being a curse, then I think you'll find the ending powerful and satisfying. I will say the book gets kind of heady near the end and I feel like I need to read it again to fully understand the last volume, but if you don't find that too intimidating or let it dissuade you, it is a really strong way for the series to finish.
Of course, it goes without saying that Fatale has some the best art in comics too. Having the cover gallery is typical for a hardcover but very welcome because Fatale has such striking covers that are fun to flip through and admire. I also loved both of the essays about Aleister Crowley and H.P. Lovecraft which were smartly written and very engaging. I felt the same way about Criminal, but this is a book in hardcover I want to own forever because I know I will want to return to this world and read it again. It may not turn out exactly like you expect, but it is another masterpiece from Brubaker and Phillips and if it sounds something you'd enjoy then you should definitely not miss it.
Of course, it goes without saying that Fatale has some the best art in comics too. Having the cover gallery is typical for a hardcover but very welcome because Fatale has such striking covers that are fun to flip through and admire. I also loved both of the essays about Aleister Crowley and H.P. Lovecraft which were smartly written and very engaging. I felt the same way about Criminal, but this is a book in hardcover I want to own forever because I know I will want to return to this world and read it again. It may not turn out exactly like you expect, but it is another masterpiece from Brubaker and Phillips and if it sounds something you'd enjoy then you should definitely not miss it.
September 12, 2016
This character study has changed the way I think about femme fatals. Far from the usual stock character, Josephine is a complex individual caught up a cosmic void of unimaginable depravity. This story is completely original, but has some familiarities that will make fans of Lovecraft feel right at home. Volume two was just as hard-hitting as volume one. I would certainly recommend reading the first volume first, but after that, dive into this one right away—while the story is still fresh.
September 20, 2017
This second volume nicely demonstrates the elegant structure of Fatale.
Square in the middle of the whole series we get "West of Hell", which opens up the setting with a set of shorts strung across hundreds of years. They're evocative and eye-opening, promising a larger story than what we saw. But in the end, I'm not sure how critical that larger view was. You could almost read the series without it.
Then we get "Pray for Rain", another period piece, and one of the best in large part because we get a more sizable cast, and then we get to see what happens when Jo uses her witchy magic on them. (It's also nice to get such strong connections to the modern-day.)
Finally, the ending, "Curse the Demon", closes out our frame by bringing us the modern day. It isn't as strong as any of the previous volumes, because the mysterious is made matter-of-fact and the dangers we edged around before are brought to the center. Maybe if I cared more about Jo or Nick, I'd find this fulfilling. As is, it's just the inevitable end to the story.
So, I admire the structure of Fatale, and I love its view of past time periods, but I think the main plot somewhat outstayed its welcome and when it comes to an end the story doesn't have a lot that's unexpected.
Square in the middle of the whole series we get "West of Hell", which opens up the setting with a set of shorts strung across hundreds of years. They're evocative and eye-opening, promising a larger story than what we saw. But in the end, I'm not sure how critical that larger view was. You could almost read the series without it.
Then we get "Pray for Rain", another period piece, and one of the best in large part because we get a more sizable cast, and then we get to see what happens when Jo uses her witchy magic on them. (It's also nice to get such strong connections to the modern-day.)
Finally, the ending, "Curse the Demon", closes out our frame by bringing us the modern day. It isn't as strong as any of the previous volumes, because the mysterious is made matter-of-fact and the dangers we edged around before are brought to the center. Maybe if I cared more about Jo or Nick, I'd find this fulfilling. As is, it's just the inevitable end to the story.
So, I admire the structure of Fatale, and I love its view of past time periods, but I think the main plot somewhat outstayed its welcome and when it comes to an end the story doesn't have a lot that's unexpected.
January 4, 2018
while I very much enjoyed the first two volumes which successfully blended hard-boiled noir with cosmic horror, the Brubaker/Philips team took it over the top with this story, which was served well in the larger deluxe volume. Filling in Josephine's history with the series of single shot issues was a stroke of inspiration, and the over-arching story was just plain cool. Brubaker walks the line between clarity and mystery with precision, revealing enough to make the story cohesive, but leaving enough oddities to create a sense of unease and hidden depths. I particularly liked the section that used the struggling band as a backdrop, especially since I've seen some of the same self-destructive behaviors, and creative struggles with musicians I've personally known., excluding the bank robberies of course.
May 21, 2020
My review for volume one.
The second volume really ramps up the occult, lovecraftian vibe. There's more of an exploration of Jo's origin, her acknowledgement of what she's done, what has been done to her and her many regrets.
I love that Brubaker took a film noir trope and turned it into a pulpy, horror. And thanks to Sean Philips, there are some genuinely horrific scenes.
I know these big hardcover editions aren't for everyone, but Brubaker and Philips' work always feel like these big, old fashioned epics that are best enjoyed in this fashion.
The second volume really ramps up the occult, lovecraftian vibe. There's more of an exploration of Jo's origin, her acknowledgement of what she's done, what has been done to her and her many regrets.
I love that Brubaker took a film noir trope and turned it into a pulpy, horror. And thanks to Sean Philips, there are some genuinely horrific scenes.
I know these big hardcover editions aren't for everyone, but Brubaker and Philips' work always feel like these big, old fashioned epics that are best enjoyed in this fashion.
February 14, 2020
4.5. Or 4.75
December 10, 2021
Love this book.
August 6, 2017
Amazing
January 20, 2016
So this continues the story from the last issue.
Sadly it continues it with a bunch of stand alone issues that seem to have been released in between the previous issues. This has always been a peeve of mine, when series have been placed into a bundle. They tend to take stand alone issues and throw them all together somewhere in the beginning of the next bundle just so they can not worry about that. I feel like it takes away from the story they want to tell.
Like with this Deluxe Edition for example. The stand alone issues seem out of place, and slightly bored without the context of when they should have appeared. Or maybe this is the order they were released, in which case I still don't like it. It seems rushed to give us some explanation so they don't have to do it later on.
Anywho, that's why i got the one star off. I think that could have been handled better, and it's a bit of a nitpick. So sue me, not really. Please don't.
The rest of the story does well, though. It picks things up, both past and present. Gives us a time slot and connects the characters really well to get us to the finale we needed. The art for that finale, while completely different from the episodic panels from the rest of the series, is phenomenal. It takes everything that was built up and let things land as they should have.
The ending is a bit lackluster, but it's the perfect ending to be honest. There's really no other way it could have ended, and for the two main characters, they got their peace. Or as much peace as they could ever have.
Sadly it continues it with a bunch of stand alone issues that seem to have been released in between the previous issues. This has always been a peeve of mine, when series have been placed into a bundle. They tend to take stand alone issues and throw them all together somewhere in the beginning of the next bundle just so they can not worry about that. I feel like it takes away from the story they want to tell.
Like with this Deluxe Edition for example. The stand alone issues seem out of place, and slightly bored without the context of when they should have appeared. Or maybe this is the order they were released, in which case I still don't like it. It seems rushed to give us some explanation so they don't have to do it later on.
Anywho, that's why i got the one star off. I think that could have been handled better, and it's a bit of a nitpick. So sue me, not really. Please don't.
The rest of the story does well, though. It picks things up, both past and present. Gives us a time slot and connects the characters really well to get us to the finale we needed. The art for that finale, while completely different from the episodic panels from the rest of the series, is phenomenal. It takes everything that was built up and let things land as they should have.
The ending is a bit lackluster, but it's the perfect ending to be honest. There's really no other way it could have ended, and for the two main characters, they got their peace. Or as much peace as they could ever have.
December 25, 2015
Solid storytelling is what you expect from Ed Brubaker and You get that here. very dark adult horror story. Great Artwork by Sean Phillips as well.
I received an advanced copy of this from NetGalley.com and the publisher.
I received an advanced copy of this from NetGalley.com and the publisher.
May 29, 2016
Two of the things I love most are
Noir Detective stories
And
Horror Stories
This series combines both brilliantly
Noir Detective stories
And
Horror Stories
This series combines both brilliantly
November 29, 2020
(Spoiler free)
Now this is what I'm talking about. Brubaker and Philips really are something of a comics dream team. This is the second story of theirs that I've read (the first being The Fade Out). One might have thought The Fade Out would have been difficult to top, though I'd heard good things about Fatale so I had my hopes up and this did not disappoint in the slightest. The story, originally set for a ten issue arc which was extended to 24 somewhere during the 10 issue run, no doubt due to the popularity of the series (and I'm glad it was) is superb. During the mid point you could accuse it of wavering slightly, with Brubaker perhaps straining somewhat to keep up his impeccable standards throughout the run, but I really don't care, as its still really good, and I just wanted more of this story. the characters are fleshed out and interesting, with dialogue that rings true and continually pushes the story along. The horror aspect of this noir is outstanding, with the occult themes Brubaker hints at throughout being something I have an interest in, in the real world. to have them somewhat grounded in reality was great, rather than just fictional blood and gore (which would have been fine too, when written so well).
Philips' art and colours are spectacular, adding extra depth and drawing the reader into Brubaker's sleazy and bloody world. Whilst he may not be the most accomplished artist out there, I really wouldn't want anyone else drawing this.
The greatest downside to this story was that it ended, although the length of the run was probably just about perfect. Still, we never like seeing beloved things come to a close. If the Fade Out set the bar high, then this has only raised it further. Other than this, there really is no downside to this comic, other than the hardcovers being extremely difficult to find these days. I am grateful I managed to find them recently. Seriously, read this however you can. I can't imagine anyone being disappointed. 4.5
OmniBen
Now this is what I'm talking about. Brubaker and Philips really are something of a comics dream team. This is the second story of theirs that I've read (the first being The Fade Out). One might have thought The Fade Out would have been difficult to top, though I'd heard good things about Fatale so I had my hopes up and this did not disappoint in the slightest. The story, originally set for a ten issue arc which was extended to 24 somewhere during the 10 issue run, no doubt due to the popularity of the series (and I'm glad it was) is superb. During the mid point you could accuse it of wavering slightly, with Brubaker perhaps straining somewhat to keep up his impeccable standards throughout the run, but I really don't care, as its still really good, and I just wanted more of this story. the characters are fleshed out and interesting, with dialogue that rings true and continually pushes the story along. The horror aspect of this noir is outstanding, with the occult themes Brubaker hints at throughout being something I have an interest in, in the real world. to have them somewhat grounded in reality was great, rather than just fictional blood and gore (which would have been fine too, when written so well).
Philips' art and colours are spectacular, adding extra depth and drawing the reader into Brubaker's sleazy and bloody world. Whilst he may not be the most accomplished artist out there, I really wouldn't want anyone else drawing this.
The greatest downside to this story was that it ended, although the length of the run was probably just about perfect. Still, we never like seeing beloved things come to a close. If the Fade Out set the bar high, then this has only raised it further. Other than this, there really is no downside to this comic, other than the hardcovers being extremely difficult to find these days. I am grateful I managed to find them recently. Seriously, read this however you can. I can't imagine anyone being disappointed. 4.5
OmniBen
May 8, 2021
When I reviewed the first deluxe hardcover of FATALE (which collected issues #1-10 of the comic series), I noted that the biggest problem with the story was the lack of a compelling protagonist. The POV character(s) were largely blank slates, watching the central mystery that is the main character, Josephine.
Happily, this second deluxe hardcover (completing the series with issues #11-24) solves this by spending a lot more time with Josephine as the POV character, and by delving deeper in the men that are caught in her thrall. In the grand tradition of most Lovecraftian horror, FATALE doesn’t try too hard to explain exactly what’s going on with the supernatural horror; it’s asking readers to enjoy the vibes, rather than answer anyone’s questions. While that might frustrate some readers, I think this volume wraps up the larger story pretty well, and the shorter mini-arcs contained in this volume were my favorites in the series.
Ed Brubaker (writer) and Sean Phillips (pencils & inks) are an excellent team, and even though this horror story is outside of their normal crime/noir wheelhouse, I think they stuck the landing with this one.
Happily, this second deluxe hardcover (completing the series with issues #11-24) solves this by spending a lot more time with Josephine as the POV character, and by delving deeper in the men that are caught in her thrall. In the grand tradition of most Lovecraftian horror, FATALE doesn’t try too hard to explain exactly what’s going on with the supernatural horror; it’s asking readers to enjoy the vibes, rather than answer anyone’s questions. While that might frustrate some readers, I think this volume wraps up the larger story pretty well, and the shorter mini-arcs contained in this volume were my favorites in the series.
Ed Brubaker (writer) and Sean Phillips (pencils & inks) are an excellent team, and even though this horror story is outside of their normal crime/noir wheelhouse, I think they stuck the landing with this one.
May 11, 2019
This is an outstanding follow up to the first omnibus, and I'd have even said it surpasses it's predecessor. This collection reaches the perfect middle ground between narrative and artwork, something not many comic series can attain. I also cannot stress how successfully this comic nails cosmic horror and Noir fiction, and to add an extra layer it even ports these aesthetics into modern periods very well. I'd like to draw particular attention to Brubaker making very real feeling characters in genre's that often don't cater to them very well. I'd also like to highlight the brief anthology section in the middle of this volume that features cosmic horror through the ages, I thought it was particularly skillful use of the genre. I'd also Like to applaud Brubaker fro making a cosmic horror story about a female protagonist, as this is quite rare, particularly for its time.
All in all this is an outstanding omnibus, all I can say is I'm very sad there isn't any more Fatale yet to come.
All in all this is an outstanding omnibus, all I can say is I'm very sad there isn't any more Fatale yet to come.
February 4, 2026
REVIEW IS FOR PART 1 & 2
Wow. This was a ride from beginning to end. Brubaker’s genius blend of Lovecraftian horror and noir honestly tickled my brain in just the right way.
Jumping through time with Jo through her different decades of relationships, dealing with cults and just trying to survive was just as harrowing as it was entertaining as all hell.
I love a female protagonist who earns her strength through her wits, her intellect, her journey, and not simply because she’s a sexy girl boss. Which I was afraid this would end up being. Not the case, Ed writes femininity with finesse, as he does everything else. Loved it!
Wow. This was a ride from beginning to end. Brubaker’s genius blend of Lovecraftian horror and noir honestly tickled my brain in just the right way.
Jumping through time with Jo through her different decades of relationships, dealing with cults and just trying to survive was just as harrowing as it was entertaining as all hell.
I love a female protagonist who earns her strength through her wits, her intellect, her journey, and not simply because she’s a sexy girl boss. Which I was afraid this would end up being. Not the case, Ed writes femininity with finesse, as he does everything else. Loved it!
April 25, 2023
I was very meh on the first half of this story. The pacing really started to pick up and you began to feel for Jo in this one. A lot more was revealed and it tied up pretty nicely at the end. Phillips really started to shine in the dream like sequences.
Overall while I enjoyed it more as it went on I still think it’s a touch below most of their other works.
Overall while I enjoyed it more as it went on I still think it’s a touch below most of their other works.
August 25, 2023
More of the same as vol 1, with some more daring color design that I found out at the end is due to Elizabeth Breitweiser joining the team. The story expands into even more time periods and connective tissue, and while I couldn't follow it all super well, I just let it wash over me and still really enjoyed it. The historical oneshots near the beginning were especially cool.
January 19, 2026
4'5/5
Reelectura que me ha permitido disfrutar y elevar mi aprecio hacia esta genial mezcla de género negro y terror. Inolvidable el personaje de Jo y su caracterización de femme fatale como una maldición. Una gran obra de una de las parejas creativas más interesantes del noveno arte: Brubaker y Phillips.
Reelectura que me ha permitido disfrutar y elevar mi aprecio hacia esta genial mezcla de género negro y terror. Inolvidable el personaje de Jo y su caracterización de femme fatale como una maldición. Una gran obra de una de las parejas creativas más interesantes del noveno arte: Brubaker y Phillips.
November 4, 2017
Particularly loved volume 3 (the opening 5 chapters in this book)--kinda wish there would've been more of that, yet it added to the universe in the way it needed to, then moved on, so I can't fault it.
Can't wait to read more by Brubaker and Phillips.
Can't wait to read more by Brubaker and Phillips.
November 20, 2023
Lectura 263 (2023) Fatale vol 2 de Brubaker/Phillips
Traducción Gonzalo Quesada
Maravilloso segundo volumen que culmina la historia de manera convincente. Qué personaje es Jo, la mujer fatal. Qué mezcla más chula de noir y Lovecraft
5/5
Traducción Gonzalo Quesada
Maravilloso segundo volumen que culmina la historia de manera convincente. Qué personaje es Jo, la mujer fatal. Qué mezcla más chula de noir y Lovecraft
5/5
September 19, 2024
Seconda parte del tributo di Brubaker a Lovecraft e all'immaginario noir della femme fatale. Racconti intersecati per risposte abbastanza convincenti. Stile bellissimo, dialoghi, profondità. Una lettura consigliata. Per quanto preferisca quando Brubaker resti sul realistico..
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