The Beautiful Death #1

Writer: Mathieu Bablet (Translated by Edward Gauvin)
Artist: Mathieu Bablet
Publisher: Titan Comics
 
Titan Comics continues their trend of publishing the works of foreign creators in new English translations. This week, The Beautiful Death gets the treatment with a new over-sized issue 1 in a 5 issue mini-series. Mathieu Bablet is a French creator and this book has been translated to English by Edward Gauvin. The story is a post-apocalyptic tale but don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s a story you’ve read before.

Immediately we’re introduced to a character that is roughing it alone in the apocalypse. Bablet manages to make him a very compelling character in the span of a few pages. We immediately understand his struggle and the world he lives in. It’s a world where apparently insects have taken over. People are gone. There is no underground resistance or human stronghold. It’s a lonely world. Then, in a shocking turn, we are introduced to the real main characters.

This isn’t an action packed post-apocalypse book instead it’s a look at three people and how they live through it. We spend a few days with these survivors and by the end, know what makes each person tick, what the rules are, and what it’s like to survive in this world. Bablet has some great character building work at the expense of any action. While they seem like a constant threat, we never actually see the insectoids in the books. Rather, they are the boogeyman that the main characters live in constant fear of. While there is little action, the story telling is intriguing enough to keep you hooked.

Mathieu Bablet handles all the art duty on the book and it is amazing. We get huge splash pages of the post-apocalyptic city that our characters live in. The city is crowded place with buildings squeezed right up against other buildings. It’s a very constricted place and Bablet has filled it with incredible detail. This works great with the small character moments that fill this book. He also manages to draw his characters in a unique style with emotion practically dripping off the page. Bablet can also make the city feel huge, like it goes on forever and this looks fantastic in the splash pages.

The Beautiful Death offers an intriguing, slower-paced story in a genre where that’s not too common. Paired with the story is incredible art that everyone should see. Mathieu Bablet’s English debut book might have a steep price tag of $5.99, but it is still worth a pick up on a crowded Wednesday.