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Writer: JG Jones, Phil Bram
Artist: J.G. Jones
Letters: Jackie Marzan
Publisher: IMAGE COMICS
***Possible Spoiler Warning***
I am amazed this comic exists. For those who think comics are nothing but stories involving heroes in tights, I give you Dust to Dust #1 from JG Jones, Phil Bram, and Jackie Marzan.
It is a period drama set during the Dust Bowl. The small town is weathering away as job and the land dry up beyond recognition. A lone Sheriff is left to hold things together but one wonders how long until even he cannot hold back the incoming storm.
As a first issue, this is designed to set the stage. By the end, it does not appear we are even confronted fully with what will become the central conflict. There are certain hints like a young child unknowingly finding human remains. At this point, that person could have easily just died of natural causes with the harsh conditions.
Some may not be used to the slow pace but it fits with how this world is being represented. These were farmers who had to take their time as the world around them gradually moved by.
We are introduced to some key figures like Sheriff Meadows who will be the driving force of this story. His stoic and calm demeanor is indicative the the atmosphere of this book. There is also Sarah who traveling from Chicago to capture some photos of the devastation. She and Meadows have a bit of an old-school Hollywood connection. Their chemistry feels akin to Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn where they are at odds but in a way that will probably drive them closer together.
It may have the setup of a Hallmark movie. With the young starlet city girl traveling the small town, the story execution is anything but that. Much of that comes down to the art of JG Jones. This book is absolutely gorgeous as Jones utilized a lot of a very distinct photo-realistic approach to this world. It is as if you are stepping into this very specific time and place. This is due to how thoroughly built these pages are from top to bottom. People’s lives are etched into the fibers of their faces so you know the life they have lived.
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You can feel the dust and dirt in the air with the way JG Jones colors these pages. At times it looks like an overexposed photograph with how washed out the world can become. Dust is everywhere and on everything. There is no escaping it. Even when people try it will come with them in some way. JG Jones has had one heck of a career but this may be the best-looking book he has made to date. I find myself just staring at some of the pages in the intricate detail he has placed into them. There is as much story in here as you are willing to take out. It’s because so much is being said outside of all those dialog balloons.
The easy comparison would be to Grapes of Wrath as that has set the standard for telling stories within this era. Thematically there are similarities but so far it is a bit how to determine what exactly this story is trying to say. It does appear to be saying something regarding the way we treat one another. Sheriff Meadows appears to be a man of empathy. This is due to the way he approaches a struggling farmer. The farmer is fleeing for California as well as a war veteran who is being teased for the results of what we know now to be PTSD. That of course is in opposition of the wealthy man who owns most of the town. No doubt they will be crossing paths on more occasions.
Overall Dust to Dust #1 is a welcome reprieve from pretty much everything else in media right now. It captures a classic spirit in a way you do not quite see anymore. If this were a movie the only people who could probably do it justice are Howard Hawks or John Ford. I do wish we get a bit more of what this story will actually be as the solicitation does a far better job providing direction than this issue does. They are asking you to be patient and considering the wonderful job JG Jones did drawing this world that is not a hard favor to grant. I want to return as soon as possible.
