Dead inside

Dead Inside #1

by John Arcudi

El magnífico arte de Fejzula y la intriga absorbente de Arcudi, la combinación perfecta para un título entre el cómic y la novela policíaca. 

El Departamento de Crímenes Carcelarios de la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de Mariposa investiga los crímenes que se cometen en las cárceles del condado. Como el número de sospechosos es limitado y dado que estos no pueden huir, son, por lo general, casos fáciles de resolver… El que nos ocupa, sin embargo, no lo es. A medida que la detective Linda Caruso se acerca a la clave del asunto, descubre verdades muy incómodas acerca de sus amigos, de su trabajo y de su comunidad.

Editor Dark Horse.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Crime, Mystery, Fiction, Bande Dessinée, Graphic Novels Comics

Kindle Edition

First published August 29, 2017

About the author

John Arcudi has made a name for himself by scripting comics that manage to combine long-running subplots with impeccable characterization and action sequences, making for some of the most exciting and consistently good comics out today.

Reviews

[Chad · Rating 2 out of 5]

A solid crime tale set in a prison. Our heroine is a detective for the Jail Crimes division of the county sheriff's dept. She'd called in to investigate a murder / suicide. At first it looks like an odd but open and shut case until our heroine notices one detail.

I liked the story but didn't care for the art. The way it's shaded, the characters look like they have tattoos or really bad acne. Figures are also greatly exaggerated, to the point of distraction.

Received an advance copy from Dark Horse and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

[Trin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Murder mystery set inside a prison. The story is okay, though definitely an unnuanced, copaganda-type take on police and inmates. The art, however, is hideously ugly -- the style of comic book art that rejoices in its ugliness. Not for me.

[Frédéric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Linda Caruso, former beat cop, was promoted detective against her wishes and didn't prove to be very good in that role. Now she's sided in the Jail Crimes Division-not sure this actually exists-trying to solve a strange murder/suicide case behind bars.

John Arcudi gives us a very decent and neatly packed crime story, well plotted, with a strong interesting female character. All the usual figures of style are here-false leads (lots of), masculine opposition, kick ass lead character, genial partner-but it all goes smoothly and I honestly didn't figure out the culprit till the end which is always a pleasure. John Arcudi can write a script, no two ways about it. I wouldn't be surprised to see it announced as a TV show one of these days.

Artwise it seems that Toni Fejzula is divisive and I can understand why. His style is peculiar and somehow makes me think of a downplayed Kelley Jones. I can't say I actually like it. Or don't. At the very least Fejzula knows his trade and has a definite style which in my book deserves respect. The same applies to André May's dark and oppressing colors.

Crime stories buffs should look over the art if it doesn't appeal to them. They wouldn't want to miss this one.

[Sassenach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Je farfouille dans mes piles d'albums non lus et je suis tombée sur celui-ci qui m'a attirée ... en dehors des histoires fantastiques, un bon thriller est toujours bon à prendre. Et là, comme ça se déroule dans une prison, c'est plutôt original ! Je n'ai pas toujours été enthousiasmée par le graphisme : parfois je le trouvais très bien et parfois, certains personnages ont l'air de grands brûlés à cause de leur peau bizarrement dessinée (du coup, quand certains des protagonistes ont des tatouages de gang, on ne les voit pas vraiment !). Sinon, les décors sont réussis, les couleurs sympas et les personnages féminins mieux dessinés que les hommes ! D'ailleurs, l'inspectrice est impressionnante dans son comportement et cela fait plaisir de voir les femmes représentées ainsi. Le suspense policier, avec ses indices distillés au fil des pages et ses révélations, est intéressant et bien mené. Ce n'est pas l'album de l'année pour moi mais il fera partie de mes bonnes lectures, sans nul doute !

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Linda Caruso is the assigned detective for jail crimes within her county. It’s not the job she wanted, and she doesn’t feel like she’s helping people anymore. When one prisoner kills another in a brutal stabbing, Caruso suspects there’s a deeper story and has to fight against her superiors’ red tape. Warning: very graphic at the beginning with the prisoner’s murder. This is a solid murder/detective story in graphic novel form. The art is okay.

[Tom Ewing · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyably twisty crime yarn as a put-upon detective investigates a prison murder-suicide. It looks like a simple case, but simple cases don't make 5-issue miniseries. John Arcudi's dialogue and plotting is as tight and economical as ever, packing a lot of sub-stories and false trails into the narrative, while playing fair with the reader. Toni Fezjula's art is more divisive, but a couple of lapses in storytelling clarity aside, I enjoyed its distortions, which captured the claustrophobic world of the prison very well and reminded me a little of Sam Kieth. There's room for a sequel but this works just fine as an engaging done-in-one.

[Jamie Canaves · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm giving this a three star rating overall because I'd give the story a much higher rating but the artwork a much lower rating.

The story is interesting: there's a murder/suicide in a prison being investigated but it seems pretty obvious from the start that they just want the case immediately closed rather than investigated.

[Luke Zwanziger · Rating 2 out of 5]

A perfectly adequate mystery story set around a murder with dubious and interesting twists and turns. Just never got fully invested in characters or stakes. Art was good and really enjoyed a lot of the choices made, but overall just a meh read for me. Love Arcudi and A GOD SOMEWHERE is gold standard for comic books for me.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this thinking it was a different story-- same title. However, this was a pretty interesting story taking place inside a prison where a murder has just taken place. The mystery is well built and intriguing. If another volume comes out, I'll definitely read it.

[Mateo Sanboval · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would've been a four star book for me, but the ending got needlessly rushed through. Sometimes action for the sake of action isn't worth it. This book was a great slow burn murder mystery through two thirds and still totally worth a read.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mystery unlike any other I've read. I hope this serves as the start to a long series.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

via NYPL - A solid little mystery yarn.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story was good, but the art was horrid.

[Dan Blackley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting angle on the Crime genre: Prison Murder investigator. I enjoyed the story and the main character was very good. Very dour, very dark.

[Emilie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a fan of the art style and the story was too cliched.

[Marc Pastor · Rating 2 out of 5]

Per ser una història d’Arcudi, l’he trobat massa típica i sense gaire interés.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoroughly enjoyable suspebse/detective/mystery story.

[Hope Breighner · Rating 2 out of 5]

Decent read but I didn't care for the art style.

[Cyndi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story and characters…hope it continues

[Xavi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entretenido thriller con toques carcelarios. El dibujo me ha parecido peculiar, no sé si ayuda o no a la historia.