Issue 36: "Katie, Part 2"
STORY:
This issue has some of the most earth shattering revelations about Tommy and his family, so I'll try not to spoil it for giving too much away. After a short interlude with Sean and Sister Concepta, we meet back with Tommy and Frances back to Ireland, where they have a small discussion about Tom Dawson, Tommy's father, how Katie ended up in Gotham, and about how Tommy's brothers died, in a local hotel. On their way out, they are ambushed by two of Dawson's thugs. Dawson takes Frances back to her mother's place where he tells her exactly what he did to Katie, and shows her by cutting her up exactly the same way.
Tommy escapes from the two thugs and heads back to help Frances, but he is too late. Frances is dying because of what Dawson did to her. Tommy heads back to Dawson's mansion where he deals with his thugs in his own personal way-no, he doesn't kill them but he dows something much more humiliating. He faces Dawson and kills him. The story ends with a flashback, back in Gotham, where we see Katie's final moments with Sean and Sister Concepta, back at the orphanage.
CRITISIZING:
Story:
Remember that thing they tell you that comics are just for kids? Well, next time somebody tells you that, wave Hitman #36 in front of him and tell him to read it, just to prove him wrong. Yes, "Katie" is one of the most bloody, wonderfull, and beautiful, but tragic stories I have ever read. Garth's humour is, like the first part, completely absent, but that's just because of the nature of the story. You somehow get the idea that...the writer actually lived this stuff (we hope not).
There are some quite poignant moments in this issue, like France's death, and Katie's final moments with Sean Noonan and Sister Concepta. Garth didn't show us in a Flashback how Dawson killed Katie, but makes a much stronger impact by making Frances die exactly the same way. I expected Frances to die, but not in such a horrible and gruesome way. Frances' final moments with Tommy, bring in mind his final moments with Pat Noonan back in issue 36, but this time, they are much stronger.
"Katie" in overall, takes on the hypocrisy of so-called "respectable and hard working" people, especially in closed communities, and the inner strength of the people we call "scum". Garth makes us feel very sorry for Katie, and critisize the village that used her, and treated her like scum, by making Frances say "they are a bunch of bloody oul hypocrites. Tom Dawson, Tommy's father and the killer of Katie, Frances, and his brothers, is a totally despisable man, who likes to think of himself as "respectable businessman". Yet this guy is a psycho who kills people, destroys life and has pleasure in doing so. We somehow feel justice is served when Tommy kills him. The irony is, that if Tommy actually lived and grew up with this guy as a father, he would become just like him. Tommy and Dawson are somehow prone to the same kind of violence. Only Tommy's ethics distinguish him from his father.
All in all, "Katie" is a very well written and beatiful storyline, well worth reading.
ART:
As with the first part, John's pencils manage to give this story yhe impact it it needs. He is definitely the definite Hitman, not only in the action sequences, but also in the personal and moving moments. Tommy's final moments with Frances, and Tommy's expressions are one of the highlights of the issue. John manages to display his grief even with him wearing his shades. Also his interpretation of Tom Dawson strikes us at once. He manages to display the evil and madness this "respectable businessman hides" by focusing on his face and body movements. As with the first issue he is very subtle in pointing us, via his art, that this is really Tommy's father. The Black and White flashbacks are even more striking now and highlight even more John's talent. But the high peak of John's art in this issue is Katie's final moments with Sean and Sister Concepta. The way John illustrates that moment shows definetely how great an artist he is, in displaying human and poignant moments of his characters . Congratulations McCrea, you did it again.
Garry Leach's inks are suitably dark for this issue, filling pencils in a great way. And this time, they don't everlap with the pencils, giving a trully stunning result, combined with John's art. Carla Finey, is also doing a great job in the colouring area, which you would not expect in a dark and gruesome issue, yet she does.
In overall, the artwork in this issue is great and suitable for such a good written story.