Rex Mundi #19

Written by Arvid Nelson
Art by Juan Ferreyra

After thirty-seven issue, Rex Mundi has drawn to a close. That's a very impressive run for an independent comic which, especially at its inception, did not have any big names attached to it. The book originally ran for eighteen issues at Image, before making the jump to Dark Horse, and re-numbering for another nineteen. It is especially impressive to think that the book is ending because the story is finished; this is not a sales-driven conclusion.

When the book began, it was a slightly different beast than what it became. I only jumped on to it towards the end of its Image run, around issue fifteen or so, and picked up the rest of the series in trades or in individual back issues on Ebay. I was immediately impressed by the scope of the book - Nelson has written an alternative-history book that stretches across Europe, and reaches back to the beginning of the calendar.

The first artist on the book, Eric J., was very much of the Image school. His characters were dynamic (if ridiculously tall), and the chase scenes in the early issues fit his style. When Juan Ferreyra took over (there were a few other artists in-between), the story slowed down a little, and became more lush, to match his warmer art and impressive ability to render faces and expressions. The 'blue apples' could only have worked with his colouring.

While this final issue, of necessity, is a Hollywood block-buster, this title has been measured and intelligent. It feels like everything is neatly wrapped up, although I do have one major concern. I may have purchased a mis-printed copy - the story ends rather abruptly with Moricant and Gen about to enter a church, and a figure standing in shadow behind them. This may be the intended ending, but it seems a little vague, and I was suprised at the lack of a text-piece or other form of farewell at the end of the book. Now, to add to my confusion, the usual newspaper pages that accompany this book were posted on-line, so I really don't know if this is the proper end, or if I have a bad copy. If anyone's copy ends differently, please let me know.

Regardless of a potentially disappointing ending, this is a fantastic comic. I urge people who have not experienced it to go out and start reading the book in trades - it's worth it.