Vertigo’s The Peril of the Brutal Dark has been a much needed dose of noir stylings, but the past few issues put a lot of focus on either the Brutal Dark’s mysterious plans or Ezra Cain’s backstory. Thankfully both aspects of the series’ narrative are given equal play in Peril of the Brutal Dark #4, which has our hero attempting to stop whatever mysterious plans are in place for New York City only to quickly discover he’s in way over his head. Luckily for us, that’s what makes the Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips series such a fun read, and makes this issue feel like the one promised us when the first issue dropped months ago.
Now fully invested in the dual mysteries of Mr. Meyer and the Brutal Dark’s plans for the Anvil of Hephaestus, Ezra Cain arrives at the Brooklyn Bridge to meet a mysterious source. That source ends up being none other than Mr. Meyer, who admits that his previous meeting with Cain was all a ruse to throw him off of the scent of the Brutal Dark’s plans. While he’s gunned down before he can fully explain what’s at stake, he tells Cain enough to know that whatever the Brutal Dark has planned, it involves the entire city, and that the plan will be enacted soon. As Cain attempts to chase down Meyers ‘ assassin, he alerts his allies of his plan to confront the Brutal Dark and to warn whoever they can. But when he makes his way back to the Brutal Dark’s headquarters, he’s met with a pretty explosive welcome.
One of the many things that I’ve loved about Peril of the Brutal Dark is how well Chris Condon captures the feel of a classic pulp adventure but through a modern lens. While we’ve gotten the genre trappings of mysterious alleyways, smoking informants, and Tommy guns, Condon’s more modern dialogue makes for a truly engaging and funny story that keeps you guessing at every turn. You know you’re in for a special read when you have the same reaction to Meyers’ assassin as the lead does, and Ezra Cain remains a fun and engaging lead character to experience the story through. He’s equal parts Indiana Jones, Dick Tracy, and Sam Spade, yet Condon makes him instantly relatable by pointing out how human Cain is. Watching him slowly but surely climb the Brooklyn Bridge is both funny and stressful because we’ve seen that this guy isn’t in the best shape, but he’s committed to the case at hand and will see it through to the end.
DC Vertigo
Another aspect that makes Peril of the Brutal Dark #4 work so well is the balance of the mystery and Cain’s backstory. As I mentioned earlier, the past few issues of the series have either focused on one or the other, but here we get a much better balance of the two, and they work really well to serve this story. Cain, badly injured but with no desire to fully rest and heal, visits a doctor that he once rescued on a case in Panama. The small snippet of dialogue we get from this scene works in setting up another ally for Cain, but also fleshes out his character and the world of the series in a way that does wonders for the imagination. Even the newspaper snippet at the end of the issue that details part of the case does a great job at teasing what this previously unknown adventure was for Cain, and also gives me hope that we may see more varied locations for Ezra in any future mysteries we may get.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record: Jacob Phillips, WOW. While Phillips has made quite the mark with this series already, with Brutal Dark #4 he really outdoes himself, showcasing multiple pages that show the frenetic and desperate attempts by Cain to track down Meyers’ killer to no avail. The mood of Phillips’ art is perfectly suited to the script by Condon, and the coloring adds to the gritty noir flavors. The teases of something otherworldly or robotic with the Brutal Dark’s plans only adds to my anticipation for what Phillips has drawn for the final two issues of the series.
With the finale looming large for the series, my anticipation for Peril of the Brutal Dark has only grown with each new issue. This is a series that combines a lot of noir trappings into something really fun and modern, and has been one of the best titles on the stands for those looking for a compelling mystery to sink their teeth into. The stakes continue to get higher for Ezra Cain, and that makes for all the more compelling drama for us to read.
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