Soul Kiss #5

Written by Steven T. Seagle
Art by Marco Cinello

This has been a fun little title. Lili has made a deal with the devil, causing her boyfriend to be inadvertently sent to Hell. Then, she made a second deal to get him back out, but has to send ten people in his place. Now, he's come home early, and Lili has some decisions to make.

This title has done a good job of balancing the lighter elements of the plot with the darker elements of the themes inherent in this type of story. I can totally see this working as a decent comedy movie.

The art has time and again reminded me of a garish, later Will Eisner, and looks fantastic. If you haven't been reading this series, it's well worth getting in trade some day.

Soul Kiss #3

Written by Steven T. Seagle
Art by Marco Cinello

This continues to be a fun title. I like the way Seagle is playing with the moral ramifications of Lili's situation (having to kill ten men in ten days in order to secure the soul of her boyfriend) and at the same time commenting on the types of people you would think you would want to kill in such a situation ("attitudey, pansexual sales clerk" being one).

The title moves quickly, and the art seems to be changing slightly as the book progresses. The second last page, as Lili talks to a homeless person, looks like it could have been drawn (or at least laid out) by Will Eisner (perhaps an intentional homage to "A Contract With God"?).

Soul Kiss #2

Written by Steven T. Seagle
Art by Marco Cinello

The second book by Seagle that I read this week continues with its examination of the deal Lili made last issue with the Devil. She is offered the opportunity to rescue her boyfriend and his soul, but as with all such arrangements, there is a price.

I like the way Seagle goes about having Lili rationalize her decision, and the choices she must now make. Part of what makes this book so easy to relate to is that at one point or another, we've all wished for the opportunity to cull the herd of people around us, and like Lili, we often entertain such fantasies while stuck in traffic.

Cinello's art continues to be well-suited for this type of story. It's angular and cartoony, but also embued with a certain kinetic movement and nervousness that matches Lili's mood. I'm not sure why the cover is so sexualized - it doesn't really match the content at all.

Soul Kiss #1

Written by Steven T. Seagle
Art by Marco Cinello

I've long enjoyed Steven T. Seagle's comic work. His takes on the X-Men and Alpha Flight were some of the better books being published by Marvel at the time they came out, and his Vertigo series House of Secrets was something I highly enjoyed. His graphic novel 'It's a Bird' is a classic. And then there was American Virgin, his criminally short-lived title with Becky Cloonan..... All of this made Soul Kiss a guarenteed purchase for me, which is not something I regret, now that I've read it.

This issue is mostly about set-up - we meet Lili (not Lillian!), an underpaid production assistant with big dreams, as she is tending to her broken down car somewhere in Arizona. She is approached by a redneck local, who attempts to take advantage of her. Somehow, this leads to her making a deal with the devil, which has consequences she didn't expect. The issue is done pretty quickly, but leaves us with a strong premise for the next five issues. Seagle is able to flesh Lili out for us very quickly, and she becomes a very strong character.

The art in this book is by Marco Cinello, who I've never heard of, but who reminds me a little bit of Teddy Kristiansen, Seagle's partner on House of Secrets and It's a Bird. The book has a very rough, sketchy feel to it in places, and in other spots, it slows down and Cinello explores a scene and its emotional gravity.

This is shaping up to be a very good series.