Broken Frontier

John Doe only deals with the unidentified dead. When he partially breaks that code to help out a living woman the mistake may cost him his own life.

Mark Waid’s name is probably familiar to most comic book readers as a writer of superhero titles. Potter’s Field , however, proves that he can do stunning work on more than just the capes and cowls set. Mysterious, moody, and noirish, this second issue in continues a compelling story and adds some new and interesting twists.

A woman comes to John Doe with an unusual plea – help her find the man who killed her twin sister. Doe refuses at first but when the woman convinces him that her sister’s body may be among those nameless, numbered corpses in Potter’s Field, he relents. It is a decision he may come to deeply regret as the trail leads him to a local mobster and danger. It looks like someone knows something about Doe and is trying to use him like a puppet on a string. For once, the anonymous hero may be in over his head and the result could be a numbered grave for himself in Potter’s Field.

In my review of the first issue of Potter’s Field , I compared it to a television series. I now have to revise that assessment as this second issue takes all of the characters into something far more cinematic in scope. Reading this comic feels like sitting down with a big bowl of popcorn, a great noir thriller movie, and turning the lights off. The fact that nothing really is known about John Doe makes this story all the more intense as readers are right along with two of Doe’s agents breaking the cardinal rules by meeting together and trying to unravel the mystery themselves. The fact that we are so much in the dark about Doe and his motivations makes the prospect that someone else may know something about him all the more chilling.

Paul Azaceta’s art is also perfect for this comic as he throws himself wholeheartedly into the filmic feel for this title. He uses his eye like the lens of a camera and as a result, his panels reflect some beautiful, unique, and interesting viewpoints – the likes of which you usually only see onscreen with more artistic filmmakers. Admittedly, his style may take some getting used to for some readers. His figures tend to be rougher, with more straight lines than curves, and his inks are heavy and thick. All of this leads to a look that, while moody, is also blocky and harsh.

With one issue still to go, Potter’s Field already has me wanting more. With a diverse cast all revolving around the central character of John Doe, Mark Waid makes every one of those cast members as fascinating in their own right as the mysterious Mr. Doe. All that aside, the story simply has a great hook and a perfect atmosphere as well.