The phrase “swan song” refers to the final effort that somebody makes before they die or at least before they retire. In comics, especially when it comes to superheroes, they rarely have a swan song, which Ice Cream Man co-creator W. Maxwell Prince somewhat acknowledges with his latest miniseries, Swan Songs. Collaborating with various artists to create this anthology series, Prince tells six standalone stories, each of which mark the end of something, whether it is the world itself, a marriage or some emotional trauma.
The first issue, drawn by Martin Simmonds, centers on Brian, who is determined to find the last issue of a magazine so that he can read to his dying mother in the hospital whilst the world is collapsing around them. You get inside Brian’s thought process, which suggests he has a codependent relationship with his mother, but the story is really driven by Simmonds’ highly stylized art, which captures that sense of doom in every panel, along with the appearances of apocalyptic stereotypes like Joker-esque thugs.
The first issue alone sets the tone for the rest of the series, in that the stories are one-and-doners that do share similar themes. The end of the world makes a reprisal in the third issue, which is about Adeline and Evan meet for the first time after a nuclear holocaust. As they develop a romance and live under something that resembles a tree, they essentially become Adam and Eve in this new world. Although you can map out where the story is going from its obvious biblical references, Prince has fun with the two younglings sharing aspects pop culture, whilst Filipe Andrade’s exquisite-colored pencils present a world that has mutated, featuring with birds with antennae and giant dogs.
Image Comics
Sometimes, the best end-of-the-world narratives are ones that are more metaphorical than literal, which leads us nicely into the standout issue. Issue #2 centers on two former lovers who, while going through a divorce settlement, recount their own perspective on their relationship from beginning to end. Contrasting this grounded romance with all its highs and lows, Home Sick Pilots’ Caspar Wijngaard illustrates their eventual clash through stages of mortal combat. Starting as a medieval battle between two knights, to then a duel between two samurai, and finally two Jack Kirby-esque super-beings fighting each other, Wijngaard brings in different aesthetics to each of these fights, that the whole issue puts a distinct visual twist to the relationship drama.
Another recurring theme of the series is the mental state of the protagonists, such as issue #4’s Robert Halburn, who has just served his two-year sentence, only to be roped in by his criminal brother as they plan a bank heist. Drawn by Caitlin Yarsky, the story may deliberately reference the movie Point Break, except that the robbers are dressed up as the Founding Fathers, the playful element is Robert being a fan of Mad Libs and how the game affects his choices, which leads to a clever ambiguous climax.
Anthologies are often mixed bags, and sadly, Swan Songs ends on a bit of a downer with the last two issues. The fifth issue is about therapeutic hypnosis as Albert travels through his subconscious to try to find his inner child, finding a way to be happy again. While Alex Eckman-Lawn’s multi-layered, hand-cut paper collages allows for some striking art, the story of depression isn’t that deep and feels more like a technical exercise. The same can be said about the final issue (drawn by Chris O’Halloran and Martín Morazzo), which comprises mostly of rambling poetry, whilst serving as a crossover to Ice Cream Man, and thus your mileage may vary depending on your familiarity with that title.
The quality of stories in anthologies can vary, and that is definitely the case with Swan Songs. Thankfully, the book is largely saved by W. Maxwell Prince’s clever writing, and the distinct styles of the various artists.
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