Broken Frontier

After the stunning entry into the Daytripper series last month with issue #9, it looked like Fabio Moon and Gabriel Bá would have a tough time bringing this odd, yet surprisingly intriguing Vertigo series to a close.  If issue #10 tells us anything about the creative duo at this point that we don’t already know, it’s this: Don’t underestimate them.

Daytripper has dealt with death a lot. In fact, after following this series for the best part of a year, I look upon the Domingos family with the same love and compassion that I would my own, and after it all I wonder what kind of sick man I must be to put myself through the pain of Bras’s eventual death every month. Every issue was another outlook on life; another anecdote to complement the carefully woven story themes and threads… the whole series a breath of fresh air into the usually gritty Vertigo imprint.

There really isn’t much more that can be said about Daytripper that hasn’t already been said. It’s a beautifully drawn and beautifully written story that will easily reduce any reader into teary-eyed dreams. As the series wraps up, all I can suggest is that you either go back and read this in singles or wait patiently for the TPB, it will be well worth either the effort or time… Daytripper represents a rare occurrence in which the creative team’s vision and expertise completely shines through the comic book medium. This is a story and a journey that couldn’t have existed through any other form of entertainment.

The series itself may have found its own death this month, but something tells me that for the characters and the families involved, their story is just beginning… they can all finally live.