Review by Ian Keogh
Although featuring Joe Hill’s name on the cover, he doesn’t in fact have anything to do with Fallen other than having created the featured character and the concept. Jason Ciaramella and Zach Howard previously adapted Hill’s short story The Cape exceptionally well, and Fallen is entirely their work.
If one chooses to look it that way, in Hill’s original story there are gaps when Eric Chase isn’t accounted for, and that’s what permits this implant. The start, though takes place when Eric is still a child, and before his father leaves for Vietnam, as seen in The Cape: 1969. He’s taken Eric and his brother to a cabin for some quality time. The narrative then jumps ahead to the adult Eric as he was during The Cape. Readers of that know he’s a monster without a conscience, and Fallen takes place after he’s already murdered someone. It hangs a tension over his activities. As long as he’s wearing the magical cape he can fly, and we know he’ll survive whatever happens, but everything else is up for grabs.
Whatever your expectation for Fallen might be, it surely won’t have included Eric meeting an old mate and joining a costumed role-playing session.
Howard’s art was excellent on the parent graphic novel, and it’s equally good here, observationally sharp, emotionally strong and thorough when it comes to creating an environment. There’s a larger cast than before, and Howard delivers distinct people, even managing the trick of ensuring their costumes look home created rather than the types found in superhero comics. As a couple of flashback sequences show, he can manage that just fine also, changing from the gritty normal style to something hyper-clean to reflect the change of atmosphere. At one point he over-exaggerates, but this is fine art overall.
Readers already know Eric is damaged goods, but Ciaramella’s very good at dangling a form of hope in front of him. The people he meets are cool and welcoming, and while he’s tempted we know where he’s headed afterwards. Moments of dark comedy fit well with the horror, and this is a worthy sequel.
