When science fiction uses the term Dystopian Future, I tend to cringe, mainly because it’s often used as a catch-all. Comics, films, TV and novels, they all tend to think of Dystopian Future as a blanket statement, one where we fill in the blanks about what it means. Not Jonathan Hickman. When he decides to use Dystopian Future, as he does in his new Image series East of West, he explains his new world to the fullest.
A divergence from our timeline has happened thanks to something called “The Word.” The world warred over it, millions died, and now the planet is carved into these multiple walled cities led by ruthless, cutthroat politicians. Hovering over all this political intrigue and violence are the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Reborn without Death, the three now seek out their former friend in what could be hopes of a reunion, or just a search to destroy him. Meanwhile, Death has engaged two mystical witches to help him get revenge on those that originally killed the Horsemen. At the end of issue #2, a wrinkle appeared in the form of Death’s captured wife.
Multiple plot points converge in East of West #3. We understand a little more about the Four Horsemen, we see Death from an entirely different angle, and we see how Death’s wife was captured. What Hickman leaves unanswered is how the Four Horsemen were killed, why Death was not reborn with them, and how this will affect their partnership. We’re also a little mystified to how Death took a wife, and what all this will mean to the greater idea of “The Word.” Hickman’s complex and layered writing is at its peak here. These are the kinds of books that allow comics to be seen as literature and true art, not just the stuff of movie franchises.
Nick Dragotta’s art continues to be spectacular. I don’t know if Hickman worked closely with Dragotta on the concepts, but it feels like the artist is being given carte blanche to use his imagination. Dragotta’s characters are alien, but not too over the top. You always believe these creatures and people could exist in our world, especially once “The Word” has darkened it. Dragotta keeps the details in his backgrounds light when he needs to, and then opens them up for dramatic effect. Page after page, panel after panel, Dragotta’s pencils are crucial to the story.
Jonathan Hickman and Nick Dragotta have hit upon something very special with East Of West. Rarely are text and art married in such perfect harmony.
