Vertigo Crime: 99 Days Review
99 Days marks the latest entry in the Vertigo Crime line of original graphic novels. While I haven't read every single entry thus far, I can say that the line has been pretty hit or miss. We've been blessed with some classics, such as Area 10, and some real stinkers, like The Chill. While Matteo Casali and Kristian Donaldson's 99 Days doesn't reach the brilliance of titles like Area 10, it thankfully doesn't hit rock bottom either. 99 Days rests comfortably somewhere in between. There are moments when 99 Days really picks up and you'll be flipping through pages at breakneck speed as you rocket towards the conclusion, but there are other segments that are a downright chore to get through. This makes the book an oftentimes uneven read, although one that does manage to entertain more than bore.
99 Days follows L.A.P.D. detective Antoine Davis who, along with his partner Valeria, is investigating a recent string of brutal murders that point to gang violence erupting between the Crips and Bloods. Of course, the book is more layered than what you get at face value, and that's where the plot of 99 Days carries the most weight. Specifically, writer Matteo Casali draws parallels between this present day gang war and the 1994 Rwandan Genocide. Casali links these two events through lead protagonist Antoine, who is a Rwandan survivor that was adopted by a kind couple in America and given a second chance at life after committing sickening atrocities as a member of the Hutu militia.
Casali's decision to incorporate actual events from the Rwandan Genocide definitely gives the book an added sense of gravitas and grounds it in oftentimes heartbreaking reality. The dual narratives of 99 Days complement one another well, giving the reader a backstage pass to the mindset of Antoine and his nagging past without resorting to monologue boxes. But with that said, Casali fumbles pulling the pieces together at the book's conclusion, leaving 99 Days with a less-than-satisfying ending.
Honestly, I get what Casali was going for with the book's ending. He was putting a face to terror, not unlike what Americans did with Osama bin Laden -- giving us someone specific to target and blame for crimes against humanity so it's easier for us to cope once we get him. But the ending to 99 Days feels rushed at best, and out of character at worst. Some might find this turn of events believable and justifiable by the time they reach the book's last page, but I couldn't buy into it. Every ounce of subtlety that Casali used to get to the book's climax is thrown out the window for the book's final 26 pages. You're pretty much left with a "Oh, well that was unexpected" feeling, but not in a good way.
The only other major complaint I have against 99 Days is that it uses exposition-heavy radio broadcasts to catch readers up on the events outside Antoine's personal story that are taking Los Angeles by storm. These radio exposition blasts remind me of Senor Love Daddy's radio snippets from the classic film Do The Right Thing, cluing readers into a grander narrative at foot, but they also undermine some of the story's bigger plot developments. Casali could have found a better way to progress the plot forward without grinding it to a halt to explain the grander situation at hand.
But now it's time to get back to the positives, namely Kristian Donaldson's artwork. Donaldson's style is very expressive and does a fantastic job relying the emotion of Casali's script. His use of shadows is also a large reason why I loved the artwork of 99 Days. This is especially true during the book's climax, which is heavily draped in shadow to insinuate a bogeyman with a machete, not unlike Jason Voorhees, who is actually mentioned earlier in the story. Coincidence, I think not.
It's really a shame that the ending of 99 Days drops the ball. Outside the boring radio broadcasts, 99 Days flies by due to great character work and a gripping narrative that smartly ties together the real world horrors of 1994 Rwanda and present day gang violence in America. Not to mention the art by Kristian Donaldson is a really great showcase of what's possible with the gray tone scale of the Vertigo Crime imprint. If you brace yourself for a divisive ending, there's a lot to like about 99 Days. And when all is said and done, we've seen a lot worse.
No comments:
Post a Comment