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Fatale
Fatale, Vol. 4: Pray for Rain
Sex, drugs, rock-n-roll, and ritual killers all collide in the strangest and most exciting volume of FATALE yet. A strange woman with no memory stumbles into the lives of a struggling grunge band in mid-'90s Seattle... Is she their muse? Will she save them from ""one-hit wonder"" status? Or will she be something much worse, especially since there's a psycho killer on her trail? The newest volume of the New York Times Best-Selling series! Collects FATALE #15-19
144 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 12, 2014
15 people are currently reading
688 people want to read
About the author
Ed Brubaker
1,794 books3,019 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 216 reviews
March 11, 2018
★★★½ Stars
Brubaker unleashes a fresh bout of blood, gore, sex and fucked up characters in this volume of Fatale, and the end game seems to be just around the corner.
The story opens with Nash, who finds himself in a rather inconvenient position since the shocking last act of volume two. But if Josephine has taught us anything, It's about how nothing is permanent.
But once again, and probably for the last time, the story's focus is not on the present, but the past. And this time, we are going to Seattle, 1995!
That dude who you just saw in above panel is Lance, and he is going to find out what hell is sooner than later! Lance is a member of a not-so-successful band, who are living in a mansion they can't afford, with a songwriter who no longer writes songs. But the moment Lance finds a shell-shocked Josephine in middle of nowhere, it all changes.
This volume is indeed different from previous flashbacks, mainly because Josephine is amnesic (not very original) , and do not remember the full extent of her own powers or the demons (literal and figurative) that hunts her. The Seattle story arc felt grounded, but the interludes featuring present, as well as the ending of this volume, were fantastic.
Overall, It's a strong installment, but some parts of Seattle story arc felt over-sexualized.
Brubaker unleashes a fresh bout of blood, gore, sex and fucked up characters in this volume of Fatale, and the end game seems to be just around the corner.
The story opens with Nash, who finds himself in a rather inconvenient position since the shocking last act of volume two. But if Josephine has taught us anything, It's about how nothing is permanent.
But once again, and probably for the last time, the story's focus is not on the present, but the past. And this time, we are going to Seattle, 1995!
That dude who you just saw in above panel is Lance, and he is going to find out what hell is sooner than later! Lance is a member of a not-so-successful band, who are living in a mansion they can't afford, with a songwriter who no longer writes songs. But the moment Lance finds a shell-shocked Josephine in middle of nowhere, it all changes.
This volume is indeed different from previous flashbacks, mainly because Josephine is amnesic (not very original) , and do not remember the full extent of her own powers or the demons (literal and figurative) that hunts her. The Seattle story arc felt grounded, but the interludes featuring present, as well as the ending of this volume, were fantastic.
Overall, It's a strong installment, but some parts of Seattle story arc felt over-sexualized.
February 9, 2016
Wait a minute, did the story just jump from the sleazy 1970's straight to the grungy 90's? What about the wavy 80's - my time?! Okay, I get it, the neon clothing and the big hair wouldn't look very noirish... Oh well, I actually enjoyed the grunge setting quite a bit (even though I was never into grunge music), and this volume generally felt more organic than the two previous ones. Glad I stuck with the series - it may still not be Brubaker's best, but who else is gonna deliver a noir comic of this quality?
September 18, 2019
So, we've made it to the '90s!
Nick is still in jail awaiting trial for murder and going through his uncle's (now published) book, looking for clues to whatever is happening to him and Josephine.
And Josephine?
Well, she's got amnesia and has taken up with a has-been grunge band's lead singer. Hijinks ensue as the band goes on to rob banks, have sex, write a song, and slowly go insane.
So why does she have amnesia in the first place?
Well,
Of course, the whole thing comes crashing down around her in a spectacular fashion, and poor Nick is just stuck in the middle of the madness whether he wants to be or not.
I'm really looking forward to the conclusion!
Nick is still in jail awaiting trial for murder and going through his uncle's (now published) book, looking for clues to whatever is happening to him and Josephine.
And Josephine?
Well, she's got amnesia and has taken up with a has-been grunge band's lead singer. Hijinks ensue as the band goes on to rob banks, have sex, write a song, and slowly go insane.
So why does she have amnesia in the first place?
Well,
Of course, the whole thing comes crashing down around her in a spectacular fashion, and poor Nick is just stuck in the middle of the madness whether he wants to be or not.
I'm really looking forward to the conclusion!
January 7, 2015
I graduated high school in '87. After the glam rock of that period (which I despised - I was more on an Anthrax/Motorhead/Metallica kind of guy), the whole grunge scene just seemed pretty flat to me, like it was so anti-poser that it became it's own kind of posing. While I liked that first single by Nirvana (you know the one I'm talking about), I didn't much like anything else they put out. And while Pearl Jam had its moment and Soundgarden made a more lasting impression, with Alice in Chains showing several moments of pure brilliance, I just really didn't get into grunge like many of those around me. In fact, after a short time, I really hated it.
So I naturally recoiled at a story wherein a major part of the plot was centered around, you guessed it, a grunge band in the '90s.
And now you're wondering "why did you give it 5 stars"?
Because my dislike for the whole grunge scene played directly into Brubaker's nefarious plans for me. My sense of internal unease only grew as I read this distressing tale. Josephine, the titular Fatale herself, is stricken with amnesia after being stricken by . . . well, I don't want to give that away. She finds herself at the mansion of a one-hit-wonder grunge band who are down on their luck until she shows up. But what kind of luck does she bring? Good at first, then bad, in spades.
Jo, we find, is a sort of vortex, a center around which death and despondence swirl like bees around a hive. From the band to a cop-turned-serial-killer to a mysterious hell-spawned someone, Jo is the center of everyone's attention, whether they want her to be the center of attention or not. This vortex, by the volume's end, has become a maelstrom.
Honestly, I didn't think that Brubaker could throw me for a loop like he has this time around. The previous volumes of Fatale were already so strange and shrouded in mystery, that I was lulled into a sense of jaded security. I thought "okay, we'll just watch how this thing plays out as we approach the last volume. What other surprises can he throw at me that he hasn't already thrown?"
And then . . . "Wha? Who? Really? But . . ."
That's an exact quote.
I'll spare you the full spoiler, but let's just say that while I expect someone to die in every volume, one of the someones who died this volume was most definitely *not* someone who I expected to die, especially in the way this person was bumped off. Those who have read the previous volumes will know who I'm talking about, and . . .
OK. I'm getting esoteric. I'll stop. But be warned, if you haven't read Volume 1 and Volume 2, you will be thoroughly confused. If you have read them, you will be thoroughly confused and utterly horrified.
And that's just where Brubaker wants you.
Embrace the dark.
So I naturally recoiled at a story wherein a major part of the plot was centered around, you guessed it, a grunge band in the '90s.
And now you're wondering "why did you give it 5 stars"?
Because my dislike for the whole grunge scene played directly into Brubaker's nefarious plans for me. My sense of internal unease only grew as I read this distressing tale. Josephine, the titular Fatale herself, is stricken with amnesia after being stricken by . . . well, I don't want to give that away. She finds herself at the mansion of a one-hit-wonder grunge band who are down on their luck until she shows up. But what kind of luck does she bring? Good at first, then bad, in spades.
Jo, we find, is a sort of vortex, a center around which death and despondence swirl like bees around a hive. From the band to a cop-turned-serial-killer to a mysterious hell-spawned someone, Jo is the center of everyone's attention, whether they want her to be the center of attention or not. This vortex, by the volume's end, has become a maelstrom.
Honestly, I didn't think that Brubaker could throw me for a loop like he has this time around. The previous volumes of Fatale were already so strange and shrouded in mystery, that I was lulled into a sense of jaded security. I thought "okay, we'll just watch how this thing plays out as we approach the last volume. What other surprises can he throw at me that he hasn't already thrown?"
And then . . . "Wha? Who? Really? But . . ."
That's an exact quote.
I'll spare you the full spoiler, but let's just say that while I expect someone to die in every volume, one of the someones who died this volume was most definitely *not* someone who I expected to die, especially in the way this person was bumped off. Those who have read the previous volumes will know who I'm talking about, and . . .
OK. I'm getting esoteric. I'll stop. But be warned, if you haven't read Volume 1 and Volume 2, you will be thoroughly confused. If you have read them, you will be thoroughly confused and utterly horrified.
And that's just where Brubaker wants you.
Embrace the dark.
October 31, 2024
The last volume had Josephine in four different historical settings and they revealed different aspects of the world, some attention to origin. This one is set in Seattle, at (see cover) gothic house inhabited by a grunge rock band, a one hit wonder, who are just living in this mansion, going sideways. Until Our Jo shows up and begins to sleep with every single bad member. So, like a traveling groupie, right, except this is Jo, who brings, sure, some creative revival into the group, but also the expected obsession, jealousy, destruction. On some level it is amusing that this sophisticated lady would come into this grunge stoner scene and get together with these. . . uh, losers.
At least three threads are about different groups/persons who can't let go of her, or who she has in her grip, including a cthulu guy. It doesn't to my mind advance the overall story arc all that much, but it is creepy, gory, violent, sexy, well done.
It occurred to me during this rereading that the book is not titled Femme Fatale, but just Fatale, as Brubaker's take on this is that the guys who are obsessed with her seem to be infected, or demonized as fatales (homme fatale?) as much or more than she is. She does not want this obsessive attention! She's more victim than victimizer, in many ways.
Note: World icon colorist/illustrator did the colors in the first three volumes, and in this one the Elizabeth Breitwesier era begins, and they are quite different and equally compelling, top rank. To be eventually be replaced in Criminal world by Sean's son, Jacob. Breitweiser's coloring on the cover featuring Jo in front of the gothic grunge mansion is terrific.
At least three threads are about different groups/persons who can't let go of her, or who she has in her grip, including a cthulu guy. It doesn't to my mind advance the overall story arc all that much, but it is creepy, gory, violent, sexy, well done.
It occurred to me during this rereading that the book is not titled Femme Fatale, but just Fatale, as Brubaker's take on this is that the guys who are obsessed with her seem to be infected, or demonized as fatales (homme fatale?) as much or more than she is. She does not want this obsessive attention! She's more victim than victimizer, in many ways.
Note: World icon colorist/illustrator did the colors in the first three volumes, and in this one the Elizabeth Breitwesier era begins, and they are quite different and equally compelling, top rank. To be eventually be replaced in Criminal world by Sean's son, Jacob. Breitweiser's coloring on the cover featuring Jo in front of the gothic grunge mansion is terrific.
October 30, 2021
This was actually a pretty good volume!
This was a great volume and has some great moments and I love the era of 90s and focus on multiple characters and also I love the way they explore each member of the band and the fatal effects Jo is having. This is the volume that they are able to better explore or flesh out so many characters in a dramatic manner and that was awesome. Plus the hints of who she is ..is given here and it builds up to a great climax for sure! So a definite recommend!
This was a great volume and has some great moments and I love the era of 90s and focus on multiple characters and also I love the way they explore each member of the band and the fatal effects Jo is having. This is the volume that they are able to better explore or flesh out so many characters in a dramatic manner and that was awesome. Plus the hints of who she is ..is given here and it builds up to a great climax for sure! So a definite recommend!
April 24, 2014
Definitely kicks the story up a notch. I've heard the series will be ending soon, and there's a definite sense that things are coming to a head. The 90s Seattle setting is a welcome change from previous volumes, and I like the way that this storyline manages to flow and hold together, despite being framed by action in the future. I honestly hadn't predicted the turn the ending would take, and it definitely feels like the beginning of the end. Once the next and probably last volume gets released, I'll probably do a complete re-read and see how it all works together as a whole.
February 19, 2014
Suffering from amnesia, Jo stumbles into the lives of a struggling grunge band in mid-1990s Seattle. Initially unaware of her power over the opposite sex, the musicians become inspired and begin writing new, powerful music that could break their status as “one-hit wonders”. Unfortunately, these flannel-wearing rockers are not the first men who have fallen under Jo’s spell as a figure from her past threatens their newfound success.
When I finished the final page of Pray for Rain, I had to go back and check out my thoughts on trades two and three to make sure I was reading the same series! This was a huge step in the right direction and could easily be considered the best of the four so far. I never doubted Brubaker and Phillips but I did feel like something just wasn't clicking. However, the dynamic duo is back in fine form and have given me several reasons to stay tuned in.
Phillips is just stellar here creating the gloomy, rainy atmosphere of Seattle which in turn fits well with Brubaker’s hopeless story. Not taking anything away from the narrative but Phillips’ work is probably the best reason to check this series out. As far as the story goes, there’s a lot of twists and turns involved that keep things interesting. The series established a weird Lovecraftian tone early on so when things take a turn to the supernatural, you’re never questioning the direction.
I’m excited for where they go from here. I may have to make this a monthly read rather than waiting until the trades are out.
Also posted @ Every Read Thing
When I finished the final page of Pray for Rain, I had to go back and check out my thoughts on trades two and three to make sure I was reading the same series! This was a huge step in the right direction and could easily be considered the best of the four so far. I never doubted Brubaker and Phillips but I did feel like something just wasn't clicking. However, the dynamic duo is back in fine form and have given me several reasons to stay tuned in.
Phillips is just stellar here creating the gloomy, rainy atmosphere of Seattle which in turn fits well with Brubaker’s hopeless story. Not taking anything away from the narrative but Phillips’ work is probably the best reason to check this series out. As far as the story goes, there’s a lot of twists and turns involved that keep things interesting. The series established a weird Lovecraftian tone early on so when things take a turn to the supernatural, you’re never questioning the direction.
I’m excited for where they go from here. I may have to make this a monthly read rather than waiting until the trades are out.
Also posted @ Every Read Thing
May 11, 2025
In 1991, I was a college freshman, and the soundtrack of my life at that time was grunge. Indeed, Nirvana’s “Nevermind” was the album that single-handedly got me through that rough, awkward first year of college. Pearl Jam was cool. I dug Soundgarden. But Nirvana was my jam. It was my lifeblood. It was my teen spirit, and I smelled like it.
Seriously, I did smell. I had really long hair. I wore a lot of flannel, ripped jeans, and combat boots. (Actual combat boots that I bought at an Army/Navy store, I shit you not.) Regardless of whether it was 20 degrees outside or 90-plus. I was an idiot.
But that was the ‘90s. Grunge was the style for the lost, wayward youth of that era. Nirvana fans often wonder what Kurt Cobain would be doing today if he were still alive. Here’s the kicker, though: what if he was alive? What if he had faked his own death, like Elvis? What if he had made a deal with the devil, and was living another life, as far from his Seattle grunge life as possible?
Book Four of Ed Brubaker/Sean Phillips’s Fatale series, “Pray for Rain”, answers that question.
When Josephine auspiciously stumbles into the life of grunge rocker Lance Hickok of the struggling grunge band Amsterdam, things start to change for the band. Not necessarily in a good way. Granted, Lance’s life was in a downward spiral before he met Josephine. His life was headed for hell anyway. Since meeting Josephine, though, he was finding inspiration and a direct flight to fame and immortality. The cost? Just his soul...
This series continues to go in fantastic and nightmarish directions. It’s both fun and freaky, and I look forward to reading the fifth and final (?) book soon.
Seriously, I did smell. I had really long hair. I wore a lot of flannel, ripped jeans, and combat boots. (Actual combat boots that I bought at an Army/Navy store, I shit you not.) Regardless of whether it was 20 degrees outside or 90-plus. I was an idiot.
But that was the ‘90s. Grunge was the style for the lost, wayward youth of that era. Nirvana fans often wonder what Kurt Cobain would be doing today if he were still alive. Here’s the kicker, though: what if he was alive? What if he had faked his own death, like Elvis? What if he had made a deal with the devil, and was living another life, as far from his Seattle grunge life as possible?
Book Four of Ed Brubaker/Sean Phillips’s Fatale series, “Pray for Rain”, answers that question.
When Josephine auspiciously stumbles into the life of grunge rocker Lance Hickok of the struggling grunge band Amsterdam, things start to change for the band. Not necessarily in a good way. Granted, Lance’s life was in a downward spiral before he met Josephine. His life was headed for hell anyway. Since meeting Josephine, though, he was finding inspiration and a direct flight to fame and immortality. The cost? Just his soul...
This series continues to go in fantastic and nightmarish directions. It’s both fun and freaky, and I look forward to reading the fifth and final (?) book soon.
March 18, 2014
I love this series, but I will admit I felt less than completely satisfied with this book.
The storytelling is good, but it's primarily flashbacks and Worldbuilding with very little movement of the main story arc.
And yes, I'm aware of the irony here, me complaining that someone's story is too flashback-y. Me, whose entire trilogy is effectively a 90% flashback.
The other stipulation that I'd like to throw in here is that I usually read comics in big binges, entire stories at a time. 5-6 trades all at once. Part of the reason this single book didn't feel like an entire meal to me is because it isn't.
So... yeah. Still love it. Still reading it. I'm well aware I'm probably just being a whiny little bitch here.
The storytelling is good, but it's primarily flashbacks and Worldbuilding with very little movement of the main story arc.
And yes, I'm aware of the irony here, me complaining that someone's story is too flashback-y. Me, whose entire trilogy is effectively a 90% flashback.
The other stipulation that I'd like to throw in here is that I usually read comics in big binges, entire stories at a time. 5-6 trades all at once. Part of the reason this single book didn't feel like an entire meal to me is because it isn't.
So... yeah. Still love it. Still reading it. I'm well aware I'm probably just being a whiny little bitch here.
August 11, 2015
Bullet Review:
I think I'm starting to get tired of this series; this volume seemed pretty long and meandering. I still don't feel like enough questions are being answered and worse, the one other woman besides Josephine/Jane that appears ends up in a girl-fight sorta with Josephine.
Have I ever mentioned that I hate our society wants to pit women against each other? Fighting over men mostly or that one lousy job at work? Yeah, I hate it. I want to dislike a person because they are a jerk, not because we're fighting over a stupid guy.
Anyway, the last half or so picked up and that's why I gave it 4 stars.
I have no clue how this series is going to end - fortunately, I have the final volume 5 at my side!
I think I'm starting to get tired of this series; this volume seemed pretty long and meandering. I still don't feel like enough questions are being answered and worse, the one other woman besides Josephine/Jane that appears ends up in a girl-fight sorta with Josephine.
Have I ever mentioned that I hate our society wants to pit women against each other? Fighting over men mostly or that one lousy job at work? Yeah, I hate it. I want to dislike a person because they are a jerk, not because we're fighting over a stupid guy.
Anyway, the last half or so picked up and that's why I gave it 4 stars.
I have no clue how this series is going to end - fortunately, I have the final volume 5 at my side!
May 13, 2021
So far nejlepší volume téhle série. Fatale se potkává s Criminalem a je to zatraceně úžasný, tenhle styl k tomu světu velmi sedí. Ansábl postav je taky úžasný, jsem rád, že jsme dostali velkou partu lidí. 90s jsou tady vykreslený výborně, Josephine je tady zase trošku jiná ale pořád skvělá. A konečně začíná vyprávění současnosti a minulosti dávat smysl z čehož jsem nadšený! Reálně nemám co vytknout, užil jsem si každičkou stránku. Jenom Phillips mi na pár panelech přišel, že tu kresbu dost odfláknul což ink nepodpořil. Ale Liz Breitweiser tady čaruje jak mág, perfektnost tohle.
November 21, 2017
Volume four in the graphic novel saga of Josephine, the immortal femme fatale, has a bit of a different pace than the other volumes. Set in grunge nineties Seattle, it features an amnesiac Josephine, a struggling rock band who robs banks to make ends meet. In some ways, it's almost an interlude from the main storyline.
October 1, 2015
What a hypnotic yet confusing book . Sigh.
August 19, 2020
This is the spoiler free review of Fatale, the full series, a Lovecraftian noir graphic novel from the minds of Brubaker and Phillips. If you would like to read the spoiler full version complete with all of the weird monsters and revelations please visit https://amanjareads.com/2020/08/19/fa...
This was my introduction to the works of Brubaker and Phillips. And a solid one at that! I am excited to keep reading their dark noir graphic novels after this one.
Fatale is about a woman named Jo. She is mysterious, might be immortal, and definitely has a strong power over any man she meets. She also has ties to a monstrous cult that does all the classic sacrifices and blood pacts.
The series moves back and forth along a time line that is longer than Jo's youthful appearance would suggest. We get to see Jo's present, past, and ultimately what happens to her.
There are twists and turns, revelations, myths, and lots of sex and violence. There is absolutely no shortage of entertainment on these pages. If you are expecting to read this casually, reconsider. There is a ton packed on these pages.
Jo is an incredibly complex female protagonist. Yes, she is sexy, but she is so much more. She's haunted, powerful yet vulnerable, brave yet tired, and above all else she just wants to find a way out.
Fatale is a disturbing mystery that takes the reader across at least three generations as well as locations both grounded and mystical.
The art is absolutely stunning. Phillips really matches Brubaker's prose in both mood and intensity. They compliment each other seamlessly.
The main issue with this book is that it could be a little confusing at times. Particularly at the beginning when you still have no idea about the mythos surround Jo and the cult. It felt like there were a bunch of characters that I had no idea who they were or what their relationships were for at least three issues.
Additionally, volume 3 of Fatale is a weak middle run. It features several loosely connected stories surrounding women similar to Jo throughout history but it ultimately didn't add to the series overall.
Despite those couple of flaws I can still strongly recommend this book. I am very interested to read more from this pair and see how much more complex and dark they can get. It's always good to read anything new and they seem to have captured a mix of old style with new content.
Any noir fan should take a step out of their comfort zone to explore this graphic novel series.
This was my introduction to the works of Brubaker and Phillips. And a solid one at that! I am excited to keep reading their dark noir graphic novels after this one.
Fatale is about a woman named Jo. She is mysterious, might be immortal, and definitely has a strong power over any man she meets. She also has ties to a monstrous cult that does all the classic sacrifices and blood pacts.
The series moves back and forth along a time line that is longer than Jo's youthful appearance would suggest. We get to see Jo's present, past, and ultimately what happens to her.
There are twists and turns, revelations, myths, and lots of sex and violence. There is absolutely no shortage of entertainment on these pages. If you are expecting to read this casually, reconsider. There is a ton packed on these pages.
Jo is an incredibly complex female protagonist. Yes, she is sexy, but she is so much more. She's haunted, powerful yet vulnerable, brave yet tired, and above all else she just wants to find a way out.
Fatale is a disturbing mystery that takes the reader across at least three generations as well as locations both grounded and mystical.
The art is absolutely stunning. Phillips really matches Brubaker's prose in both mood and intensity. They compliment each other seamlessly.
The main issue with this book is that it could be a little confusing at times. Particularly at the beginning when you still have no idea about the mythos surround Jo and the cult. It felt like there were a bunch of characters that I had no idea who they were or what their relationships were for at least three issues.
Additionally, volume 3 of Fatale is a weak middle run. It features several loosely connected stories surrounding women similar to Jo throughout history but it ultimately didn't add to the series overall.
Despite those couple of flaws I can still strongly recommend this book. I am very interested to read more from this pair and see how much more complex and dark they can get. It's always good to read anything new and they seem to have captured a mix of old style with new content.
Any noir fan should take a step out of their comfort zone to explore this graphic novel series.
December 22, 2019
oh yay I am really looking forward to the last volume. This has been such a fun ride so far.
February 25, 2017
We go back to our Nicholas Lash framing story and a flashback to Josephine in the 1990s and her relationship to a "Satanic" grunge band who also are bank robbers. The confluence of neo-noir, Lovecraftian horror, and a elements of a movie like "True Romance." The treatment of non-Josephine female characters in this book is actually declining and not in a way that really adds to the story.
Nicolas Lash is in jail for the murder of the women who stole the manuscript, and things get ore hairy from there. It also becomes clear despite lack of hints to the time period, that Lash's story line is completely contemporary as it is at least 15 or 20 years after the 1990s plot line. Furthermore, it becomes clear that Josephine has regular bouts of amnesia, although the reasons why aren't really explored.
Philips does wonders with Seattle in 1990s, using the atmospherics to good effect. This seems to have upped the gore from the other volumes.
Nicolas Lash is in jail for the murder of the women who stole the manuscript, and things get ore hairy from there. It also becomes clear despite lack of hints to the time period, that Lash's story line is completely contemporary as it is at least 15 or 20 years after the 1990s plot line. Furthermore, it becomes clear that Josephine has regular bouts of amnesia, although the reasons why aren't really explored.
Philips does wonders with Seattle in 1990s, using the atmospherics to good effect. This seems to have upped the gore from the other volumes.
June 5, 2015
3.5 stars, rounded up. This volume wraps up Jo’s past and finally brings everything full circle with Nicolas Lash.
Present Day - Nicolas Lash is in jail awaiting trial for the murder of the woman who stole the manuscript from him in volume two. Then the book appears in his jail cell, apparently having been published since it was stolen from him. But then he realizes pieces are missing from it and is on a mad hunt to figure out what the hell is going on. A hunt that will bring him into the path of an unbalanced man who appears likely to become fully insane at the drop of a hat.
Seattle, 1995 – Lance, a member of a one-hit-wonder band, Amsterdam, finds a young amnesiac woman wandering along the road. He takes her to the mansion he can now barely afford so that she can recover both her health and her memory. The entire band plus one of the bandmate’s girlfriends lives in this mansion while they try to make sure they don’t stay a one hit wonder. Meanwhile, a psychotic killer learns that the woman he had finally captured after years of pursuing her has escaped. It quickly becomes clear to the band members that the woman Lance rescued is unusual to say the least. And her allure sets more than one against another at the same time that she’s acting as muse to their song writer as well as their singer. Things spin out of control quickly and finally Jo’s memories are brought full circle back to the present day and Nicolas Lash.
At this point so many men have come through Jo’s life and been destroyed by contact with her that’s it hard to still feel a connection with or empathy for them. But it was really interesting to see just how much her influence affects the men around her. I liked that this one focused more on the long lasting effects rather than just the immediate “Let’s have sex until you go crazy and/or kill yourself” effect that she seems to have on them.
I especially love that we finally get to see the loose ends being connected. The suspense has been building throughout this series to get to the point where Nicolas Lash finally finds out why Jo involved herself with him and I can’t wait to see what unfolds.
I didn’t love this one quite as much as volume three but I liked seeing the full force of Jo’s effect on the men that come into her life and I’m very curious to see how Brubaker and Phillips will bring this awesome series to a close.
Present Day - Nicolas Lash is in jail awaiting trial for the murder of the woman who stole the manuscript from him in volume two. Then the book appears in his jail cell, apparently having been published since it was stolen from him. But then he realizes pieces are missing from it and is on a mad hunt to figure out what the hell is going on. A hunt that will bring him into the path of an unbalanced man who appears likely to become fully insane at the drop of a hat.
Seattle, 1995 – Lance, a member of a one-hit-wonder band, Amsterdam, finds a young amnesiac woman wandering along the road. He takes her to the mansion he can now barely afford so that she can recover both her health and her memory. The entire band plus one of the bandmate’s girlfriends lives in this mansion while they try to make sure they don’t stay a one hit wonder. Meanwhile, a psychotic killer learns that the woman he had finally captured after years of pursuing her has escaped. It quickly becomes clear to the band members that the woman Lance rescued is unusual to say the least. And her allure sets more than one against another at the same time that she’s acting as muse to their song writer as well as their singer. Things spin out of control quickly and finally Jo’s memories are brought full circle back to the present day and Nicolas Lash.
At this point so many men have come through Jo’s life and been destroyed by contact with her that’s it hard to still feel a connection with or empathy for them. But it was really interesting to see just how much her influence affects the men around her. I liked that this one focused more on the long lasting effects rather than just the immediate “Let’s have sex until you go crazy and/or kill yourself” effect that she seems to have on them.
I especially love that we finally get to see the loose ends being connected. The suspense has been building throughout this series to get to the point where Nicolas Lash finally finds out why Jo involved herself with him and I can’t wait to see what unfolds.
I didn’t love this one quite as much as volume three but I liked seeing the full force of Jo’s effect on the men that come into her life and I’m very curious to see how Brubaker and Phillips will bring this awesome series to a close.
August 30, 2014
Back to the world of reading! Thanks for all the well wishes on my return. Shit happens, and sometimes we don't get to do what we like...
Anyhoo...I started Fatale a year ago, and it's been nearly that long since I read Vol. 3, so this was LONG LONG LONG overdue.
It was worth the wait.
While it somehow spins the wheels on the overall story, there are some important developments. We run into Nic, in prison after his run in with Jo, but he ends up being broken out by someone very unexpected with a connection to the same mystery woman who's turned his life upside down.
We then jump to 90s Seattle, Grunge era (which is awesome, and also scary as hell, since it's a 20yr flashback, and I recall the age vividly, with my flannel shirts, band tees, and jeans with ripped knees...I still have a similar wardrobe to be honest, and I think it's always acceptable, esp. in the Pacific Northwest...Mike, back me up here?)
Anyhow, grunge band is a 1-hit wonder, and they're falling apart at the seams; the main protagonist is singer Lance, who's taken to robbing banks to try and help the band pay for their comeback. Well, of course, who should he come across, naked and bleeding in the rain, than our favourite femme fatale herself? In the throes of amnesia no less, Jo is brought into the band's fold, and we see the (unintentional) havok she wreaks on them. There's also a disturbed cop chasing her, another man looking for her, and a trail of bodies...oh, and that doesn't even include the demonic baddie from earlier in the series, who's been trying to track her for 50+yrs and gets ever so close, only to lose her again...
Forward to the present, and Nic pieces together what some of us readers already have done...Nic's connection to the mystery man is made, but still leaves us with lots of questions, and a pile of poor dead men who did nothing more than fall for the femme fatale...
Brubaker and Phillips 4 life yo. The art and subject matter pair together so well, their noir work alone would ensure they stayed in demand for years, but they also do tons of stuff apart too, which speaks to how talented both men are. This is just like watching one of your favourite movies, or maybe a slightly different one with your favourite actor. It's fun, it's solid, and no matter where it takes you, it was worth the 2 hrs or so.
Recommended, back on track for the series, but PLEASE start at the beginning or this will really make you scratch your head.
Anyhoo...I started Fatale a year ago, and it's been nearly that long since I read Vol. 3, so this was LONG LONG LONG overdue.
It was worth the wait.
While it somehow spins the wheels on the overall story, there are some important developments. We run into Nic, in prison after his run in with Jo, but he ends up being broken out by someone very unexpected with a connection to the same mystery woman who's turned his life upside down.
We then jump to 90s Seattle, Grunge era (which is awesome, and also scary as hell, since it's a 20yr flashback, and I recall the age vividly, with my flannel shirts, band tees, and jeans with ripped knees...I still have a similar wardrobe to be honest, and I think it's always acceptable, esp. in the Pacific Northwest...Mike, back me up here?)
Anyhow, grunge band is a 1-hit wonder, and they're falling apart at the seams; the main protagonist is singer Lance, who's taken to robbing banks to try and help the band pay for their comeback. Well, of course, who should he come across, naked and bleeding in the rain, than our favourite femme fatale herself? In the throes of amnesia no less, Jo is brought into the band's fold, and we see the (unintentional) havok she wreaks on them. There's also a disturbed cop chasing her, another man looking for her, and a trail of bodies...oh, and that doesn't even include the demonic baddie from earlier in the series, who's been trying to track her for 50+yrs and gets ever so close, only to lose her again...
Forward to the present, and Nic pieces together what some of us readers already have done...Nic's connection to the mystery man is made, but still leaves us with lots of questions, and a pile of poor dead men who did nothing more than fall for the femme fatale...
Brubaker and Phillips 4 life yo. The art and subject matter pair together so well, their noir work alone would ensure they stayed in demand for years, but they also do tons of stuff apart too, which speaks to how talented both men are. This is just like watching one of your favourite movies, or maybe a slightly different one with your favourite actor. It's fun, it's solid, and no matter where it takes you, it was worth the 2 hrs or so.
Recommended, back on track for the series, but PLEASE start at the beginning or this will really make you scratch your head.
May 29, 2024
We get a little closer to modern times, with an arc set in 90's Seattle. Naturally, with it being the 90's, the arc is set around a Grunge Rock group. Josephine's power effects the band members as you'd expect, and death follows quickly.
This arc gives Phillips the chance to do something a little out of his comfort zone, by having a scene which is Josephine dancing to a song, and having everyone who witnesses fall in love with her. It's a really good scene, and almost a more... morbid? take on something we'd expect to see in Phonogram.
The end of the arc also has a very noir feel to it, naturally.
This arc gives Phillips the chance to do something a little out of his comfort zone, by having a scene which is Josephine dancing to a song, and having everyone who witnesses fall in love with her. It's a really good scene, and almost a more... morbid? take on something we'd expect to see in Phonogram.
The end of the arc also has a very noir feel to it, naturally.
September 15, 2015
Okay, this volume I thoroughly enjoyed. It was dark and gritty and bloody, and the setting felt a bit more natural, so to speak. The story was good. Some more variation in art this time, even implementing a couple of double-page spreads, instead of the regular modified one-page three-by-three panel layout, was a welcome refreshment.
March 27, 2015
Supernatural Noir that continues to be intriguing and fun! This one goes into the '90s, ...
... my favorite line?
"FUCK PEARL JAM!"
... my favorite line?
"FUCK PEARL JAM!"
July 30, 2015
Sex,drugs,rock n roll.....crime,murder,devil worship and obsession. This series is amazing and I really should finish it.
December 24, 2015
More fun and horror from Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips, this time it's in Seattle in the 1990s and grunge music is the rage.
March 23, 2017
Oh my gosh this series is so good but the twist at the end of this volume was amazing!
February 14, 2018
What happens when you add equal parts amnesia and serial killer to the Fatale storyline? You get a heaping help of awesome, that's what.
December 31, 2018
I’m four volumes deep into this story. I’m hooked, I love it.
I feel the same way about this story that the men feel about Josephine.
The story this time follows Nelson in the present day as his story edges closer to an end. But the real star is Josephine, it’s another tale of tragedy this time concerning a whole band of one hit wonders in a house they can’t afford anymore. Until Josephine comes into their lives with a fresh case of amnesia because of some twisted man who grew up in the shadow of want.
It does new things with Josephine’s stories and leaves me ravenous for not only answers and the whole picture but the end.
Brubaker and Phillips manage to intwine Lovecraft with hard boiled noir and femme fatale stories to great effect. And it’s an understatement to say that I love this series, it started off confusing but I was drawn into it and I’m hooked. It’s really something to behold that I feel the same way for this story that men feel for Josephine. Maybe that’s just how we feel about good stories?
5 stars, I’m reading the last volume right now.
I feel the same way about this story that the men feel about Josephine.
The story this time follows Nelson in the present day as his story edges closer to an end. But the real star is Josephine, it’s another tale of tragedy this time concerning a whole band of one hit wonders in a house they can’t afford anymore. Until Josephine comes into their lives with a fresh case of amnesia because of some twisted man who grew up in the shadow of want.
It does new things with Josephine’s stories and leaves me ravenous for not only answers and the whole picture but the end.
Brubaker and Phillips manage to intwine Lovecraft with hard boiled noir and femme fatale stories to great effect. And it’s an understatement to say that I love this series, it started off confusing but I was drawn into it and I’m hooked. It’s really something to behold that I feel the same way for this story that men feel for Josephine. Maybe that’s just how we feel about good stories?
5 stars, I’m reading the last volume right now.
October 22, 2020
(4,4 of 5 for nice "grunge" themed part of Fatale)
And again, Ed tries to find some new surroundings for Jo's adventure. This time with (but not only) some post-Cobain era band in decline. It's fun, it's thrilling and it's noir-y. Brubaker is a great writer and his collaboration with Phillips is always fruitful. Thus Fatale is great comics, even with its fourth book. But I can sense it starts to lose its breath. But luckily, Ed knows when to wrap the story up so there is only one bok ahead which is promising. Writing this after I finished the fifth too, I believe it could be wrapped with four books, leaving this one out. It seems like Ed wanted to explore Josephine little more and the fourth book is an unnecessary but playful fork in the road to the end. But as always - I enjoyed it very much.
And again, Ed tries to find some new surroundings for Jo's adventure. This time with (but not only) some post-Cobain era band in decline. It's fun, it's thrilling and it's noir-y. Brubaker is a great writer and his collaboration with Phillips is always fruitful. Thus Fatale is great comics, even with its fourth book. But I can sense it starts to lose its breath. But luckily, Ed knows when to wrap the story up so there is only one bok ahead which is promising. Writing this after I finished the fifth too, I believe it could be wrapped with four books, leaving this one out. It seems like Ed wanted to explore Josephine little more and the fourth book is an unnecessary but playful fork in the road to the end. But as always - I enjoyed it very much.
May 4, 2021
Review is for the entire series (five collected volumes)
Ed Brubaker to me is synonyms with crime graphic novels, even his superhero work (that I've read) was grounded in that reality - the excellent Gotham Central run that focused on the shields and not the capes - so I went into this with a set of expectations that were blown away. It's a crime story, certainly, but EB layers in horror fiction so deftly that the marriage of the two is seamless, resulting in a read that is entirely like his previous work and uniquely different simultaneously.
Ed Brubaker to me is synonyms with crime graphic novels, even his superhero work (that I've read) was grounded in that reality - the excellent Gotham Central run that focused on the shields and not the capes - so I went into this with a set of expectations that were blown away. It's a crime story, certainly, but EB layers in horror fiction so deftly that the marriage of the two is seamless, resulting in a read that is entirely like his previous work and uniquely different simultaneously.
January 4, 2025
Vol. 4 of “Fatale” is set in the mid-90s Seattle (soon after Cobain kills himself). Josephine, or Jane in this story, has amnesia and is living with an up and coming grunge band. Of course, all of the band members fall for Josephine/Jane and chaos ensues.
When I read Vol. 4, I thought it was just more meandering and with no direction. After reading Vol. 5, you can see that Brubaker was working toward the end.
Anyway, I seem to be the only Brubaker fan that doesn’t adore this series . . .
When I read Vol. 4, I thought it was just more meandering and with no direction. After reading Vol. 5, you can see that Brubaker was working toward the end.
Anyway, I seem to be the only Brubaker fan that doesn’t adore this series . . .
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