Review by Andy Williams

Chase Darrow is an attractive woman who possesses the power to make men fall in love with her. The only drawback is that she literally sucks the life out of them: she loves them to death. When her lover Paul dies it sparks interest from the government and Chase is pursued across the country by CIA agent/corporate superhero The Man. Paul’s son, Charles, has become obsessed with Chase and, with a bunch of similar obsessives, follows her trail. Chase eventually comes to believe that she has the power to give life as well as take it, but is she being honest with herself? The ending is ambiguous, leaving much left to explore.

This fast-paced tale is written by Mark Wheatley and drawn by his frequent collaborator Marc Hempel, each a dab hand at both writing and drawing their own projects. Wheatley offers a fairly straightforward story, but populates it with nuanced characters. Many, such as The Man, are drawn in broad strokes, whereas as Chase displays shades of hope, love, despair and trauma throughout her journey, making her fully rounded. Even incidental players like Lou the Trucker are given greater depth and more touching moments than one would think.

Hempel’s angular art is stylised and expressive, simple without being simplistic, detailed without being overworked. It’s a style that shouldn’t work in an action thriller like this but, similar to his work on a crucial arc in The Sandman, it works perfectly. An extra element pulling everything together is the gorgeous painted colour from Wheatley. A lush palette of purple and orange, golden hour descending into dusk. As impressive as Hempel’s linework is, it wouldn’t have the same impact without such luxuriant hues.

Breathtaker supplies a suspenseful story with sci-fi and horror elements that goes in an unexpected direction, aided by quirky but stylish art and an impressive display of colour. Undeniably different and possibly an acquired taste, but one that promises to linger long in the mind.