Unknown Soldier
Issue: #2
Writer: Joshua Dysart
Artist: Alberto Ponticelli
32 pp. Vertigo. $2.99
Reviewed by Paul Stotts
“Now I’m a man. Now I can have respect.”—Joshua Dysart, Unknown Soldier #2
The debut issue of Vertigo’s new series Unknown Soldier was surprisingly good. Highly charged and political, the series offers a shocking look into the violence and evil being perpetrated in
And it is an evil that often hides behind a child’s face. It’s not intentional maliciousness. It’s doing what needs to be done just to survive.
Dr. Lwanga Moses awakens in an orphanage for girls, his face extensively bandaged. While Moses recuperates with the help of Sister Sharon Cavanaugh, his wife waits for any word concerning her missing husband. Before long, a threat to the orphanage arises and Moses is called to help.
The subject matter of the comic is eye-opening. It’s hard not to feel outrage at the atrocities that the series documents. Writer Joshua Dysart does not flinch away from showing us the underbelly of hell. He’s ruthless in his presentation, but fair. The narrative never devolves into a political rant. There is no commentating about the brutality and ugliness. It’s just the way life is, and characters unblinkingly accept it. Morality is for those people who have an easy life. This straightforward, no-nonsense presentation is what makes the comic so powerful and chilling.
Alberto Ponticelli’s visuals can best be described as frenetic and jagged, perfect for the raw nature of the story. Pretty pictures wouldn’t work here, so Ponticelli goes for a harsher edge to his interiors. His children appear small and vulnerable, but appearances are deceiving as many are cold-blooded killers. This leads to a disconnect between their appearance and their actions, and this is what makes Unknown Soldier so shocking.
Finding a comic like this that will touch your soul is a rare event. It’s not something to be missed.
Final Grade: 88 out of 100
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Comic Break: Unknown Soldier #1 (Vertigo)
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