Bedlam #3

Let Him Have His Fun

Madder Red is a super criminal and killer. Filmore Press is Madder Red. But after a long and successful stint in rehabilitation, Filmore Press claims that he is no longer the twisted super criminal he used to be. Instead, Filmore is lending his expertise to help Detective Ramira and the police solve a string of murders. Detective Ramira seems to think otherwise though. She believes he’s up to something far more sinister. And she’s eager to figure out his motive before anyone else gets hurt.

Writer Nick Spencer | Artist Riley Rossmo | Cover Fraser Irving

Now, it’s not odd to see something that’s “out of the norm” when it comes to entertainment. In a way, we’ve become less sensitive to the sick and twisted. It has essentially provided a challenge for creative types, such as comic book writers, to try to make us squeamish with a story that is also well-told and engaging. But writer Nick Spencer manages to succeed in creeping us out with Image Comics’ horror series Bedlam. After all, bedlam by definition is used to describe something or someone that is crazy.

With issue three, the crazy begins with the very first pages. Immediately, readers are dragged into a disgustingly demented world. A warning to all cat lovers though to tread slowly – you will be nauseas. That’s how this book makes you feel. The violent parts make your guts twist because when it gets violent it gets violent. And Nick Spencer skillfully writes a script without making it feel like the book is only going for shock value. It’s not over the top and unnecessary. His focus is to ensure that readers get into the mind of a villain and involve us. There’s just something endearing about Filmore Press. Spencer creates a character that we actually start to fall in love with despite his past endeavours (or so he wants us to believe) as a murderous villain. Can we trust him? Most of all can Detective Ramira and the police trust him? However, Bedlam is not all violence and horror. Although that’s the overall tone of the book, it is also shrouded in mystery with a good detective story developing.

While writer Nick Spencer plays with our emotions, artist Riley Rossmo treats our eyes and our imaginations. His dark and gritty art fits well with Spencer’s script. The intimate close ups of Filmore Press’ gaunt sickly pale face and sunk in eyes makes you feel slightly uncomfortable. And once again you’re asking yourself if he should be trusted. Rossmo ensures that the present is fully coloured to distinguish from panels revealing moments of violence and the past. Those moments of violence are black and white with splashes of red. It’s simple but it’s effective because it draws emphasis to the passionate and unsettling action that’s occurring. The sketchy art and simplicity also lets your imagination take over and if you’ve got a big imagination like me, it’s bound to take you away.

I think it’s safe to say that new readers can pick up issue three without reading the previous issues. I say this because the other two issues made you think Joker but issue three does a good job of straying readers from that notion. Nick Spencer and his team have picked up and developed an intriguing plot within Bedlam #3. If you have a taste for horror, Bedlam #3 feeds it to you in well-served portions of the delightfully disturbing and creepy without overfeeding. I do and I’m ready for another serving.