Robert W Monk reviews Dark Corridor #2…
Carter burns through his money like a big-baller. Also, we see The Scalinas death at the hands of deadly daughter Nicole.
Issue 2 of Dark Corridor continues Rich Tommaso’s rich and bloody vein of neo-noir in combative style.
Set around two ongoing stories; The Red Circle and Seven Deadly Daughters, Tomasso (Clover, 8½ Ghosts) creates an exhilarating ride through two distinct constructs taking in a range of largely cinematic influences.
As Tommaso writes in his last page commentary, cinematic entertainment has played a large part in his creative imagination. He cites violent action movies of a certain vintage like Commando, Predator, Lethal Weapon, Scarface and many more as having made a huge impact on his life.
He also describes how he turned away from these features and sought out more ‘intellectual’ filmic pursuits after reaching the grand old age of 21. With a bit of time to digest however, he returned to the wide-screen actioners and in particular, the 80’s horror and violent splatter-fests of his younger days.
So, what does all this have to do with his comic book? Well, quite a bit, as Dark Corridor is imbued with a Hollywood style of classic cinematic crime and noir. The two ongoing stories take a slightly different tone with The Red Circle using a classic noir template, calling to mind that great comic book artist of city crime Will Eisner (The Spirit). Seven Deadly Daughters on the other hand has more of an updated 80’s feel to it, with a distinctly Tarantino-esque rapid fire delivery.
The Red Circle, part two, Carter’s Misfortune, tells a suitably doomed tale of career criminal Carter. Just let out from a nine and a half-year stretch in the jail house and having saved up some cash from a five-week job as a security guard, he decides he’s in the mood for a party. Exploring the city of Red Circle fuelled by drink, drugs and various sexual encounters, Carter lives life-like there’s no tomorrow. And as is the case with many characters in a crime-soaked environment, there might not be…
Tomasso’s art work fits perfectly a portrayal of a city’s 50’s style crime underbelly. The world of Red Circle is timeless, with classic themes of Americana running throughout. The style is vibrant and hard-hitting. The cumulative energy built up around Carter’s long day and night of freedom is impressively displayed with Carter’s internal monologue accompanied by time and location run-downs on the base of the panel.
The Seven Deadly Daughters story, Greatest Hits volume 2, centres on Nicole Breccia and her quick-fire revenge on her father’s murderers. The story is fully turned up the max, with panel after panel of kicks, knife fights and dog attacks going on with no pause for breath. Essentially played out as a mini scene in an ongoing story, the chapter does more than enough to keep you wanting more.
Overall Dark Corridor is a great example of what comic books do best – provoke, entertain and inspire in equal measures. I, for one, am looking forward to reading more.
Rating: 9/10
Robert W Monk is a freelance journalist and writer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL18yMRIfoszEaHYNDTy5C-cH9Oa2gN5ng&v=qvTY7eXXIMg
Originally published September 5, 2015. Updated April 14, 2018.
