Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis’ Hyde Street is a relatively new book, but it’s already garnered a spinoff with the cleverly-crafted and creepy Devour one-shot. That one-shot introduced worlds to Miss Goodbody, the fitness guru whose treatments took on a rather horrifying form. Hyde Street #5 turns its focus to Miss Goodbody’s past life, showcasting what happened to her before she came into Hyde Street…and why, despite having one of the best records when it comes to capturing souls, she’s never set foot outside of her shop.
In the same way that Johns used Hyde Street #4 as commentary on the Golden Age of Hollywood and how it wasn’t so “golden” for actors who were pigeonholed into roles, Hyde Street #5 is a takedown of ’80s-era diet culture. The issue literally opens up with Miss Goodbody screaming in the reader’s face, then shows that she’s trying to push one of her clients Trisha into working out. “Move or Die!” Miss Goodbody barks – the “Die” a fiery screed under Rob Leigh’s letters. In Trisha’s case, this turns out to be quite literal, which is horrifying.
But what’s equally horrifying is the fact that Miss Goodbody refuses to take responsibility for her actions. Sure, a later sequence reveals that her pursuit of perfection is rooted in some deep-seated childhood issues, but that’s still no excuse to push a woman until she dies. It shows that she was a monster even before she got to Hyde Street. Johns continues to push the story forward slowly, introducing yet another mysterious character while having Mr. X-Ray seek out Goodbody’s help in finding a way to get rid of Pranky. “There’s more to every story,” Mr. X-Ray intones in one caption. OK, but when are we actually going to get more of the underlying story?
Hyde Street #5 also marks a change in artists, as Francis Portela fills in for Reis. Portela gets the general gist of the characters down, keeping Ms. Goodbody’s sinister smile and Mr. X-Ray’s lanky frame. He also has a talent for drawing emotions – one minute, Ms. Goodbody is shown with her mascara streaked through with tears and the next has her face contorting in rage as she attacks a fellow trainer. Brad Anderson also makes shifts in color depending on the scenery; the real world is bright and vibrant, while the world of Hyde Street features more muted colors and shadows.
The one issue I feel is that this issue lacked the horror aesthetic of Reis’ earlier work. Whenever Reis draws Hyde Street it feels truly menacing; you know the characters within aren’t as human due to his artwork. Portela’s art, while expressive, isn’t nearly as terrifying. He’s slated to draw the next issue, so hopefully that will change.
Hyde Street #5 reveals the origin story of Ms. Goodbody, which makes up for in emotional weight what it lacks in scares. Another Devour one-shot is in the works, meaning that she isn’t done putting the “die” in “diet” just yet.
