Reviewer: Chris Delloiacono
Story Title: The Curse: Part 4
Written by: Christopher Golden
Pencilled by: Don Kramer
Inked by: Prentis Rollins
Colored by: John Kalisz
Lettered by: Kurt Hathaway
Assistant Editor: Steve Wacker
Editor: Peter Tomasi
Publisher: DC Comics
Cursed with bad luck.
A few characters immediately come to mind when I think of characters that had multiple books that didn’t stand the test of time. Captain Marvel (the Marvel Comics version), Hawkman, and Aquaman are probably the most obvious. Another, would clearly be the oft re-envisioned Dr. Fate property. Various incarnations of the character have been deemed worthy of ongoing series three times in the past twenty years. The character has then met cancellation in less than four years, usually sooner, each time.
No matter who’s been under the mask, or tattoo in the case of the previous Fate, cancellation was the end product. Cooped up in his tower in Salem, MA, it’s always been difficult to connect with the character, and that’s probably much of the problem. Following events spun out of JSA, one of the best books on the market, DC figured it was time to give the character the spotlight once more, albeit in the form of a five-issue miniseries.
Getting it right.
The current incarnation of Dr. Fate is actually Hector Hall, formerly Scarab of Infinity Inc., and the son of Hawkman. Putting the mantle of Fate with this, somewhat, known commodity was a great move. Hector’s relationship with his father is somewhat strained, but certainly one we can all relate to. Hector is not perfect, and really battles with himself over the great powers he now possesses. And the moments he’s had with Hawkman, thus far, have been very memorable.
This miniseries, has actually taken a far grander approach than I would have expected. The entire series and this issue in particular, is about the new Dr. Fate and his quest to become what he should be. Guided by Nabu, the Lord of Order that inhabits Fate’s helm, Hector Hall must make some very important decisions. Decisions that will not only affect him but could have a profound affect on the future of mankind. A strong supporting cast is involved, which allows the focus to lift from Dr. Fate for extended periods of time. While you do get portions without the featured character, this mystical confrontation in Salem is brought greater resonance by us knowing some of the “real†people that are affected.
The Curse is the big bad guy during the series and is an excellent attempt to give Dr. Fate an ultimate villain. He’s a perfect foil for Dr. Fate, but he’s leant additional gravity because he’s not just an ages old villain, but the “man†the Curse inhabits is very real as well. The entire concept of mystical characters is largely unbelievable, so this somewhat rooted approach really works wonders for the series. Don’t for a minute think this is boring tripe; the Curse’s legions of undead are swarming Salem like it’s a George Romero film.
Kramer vs. Kramer
Don Kramer’s been getting around of late. He’s doing quite a job as the latest artist on JSA, and his work on Dr. Fate is quite good as well. Yet, you knew there had to be a yet, his artwork is just shy of perfection. The only real problem is the faces are sometimes inconsistent, and that’s on very rare occasions. I’m a big fan of Mr. Kramer’s work though, and I don’t want to put it down at all. Without a doubt, Don Kramer is an artist on the rise, and fast becoming one of my favorites.
It’s not over by a long shot.
Christopher Golden has injected a tremendous amount of gravitas into this book, especially with regard to the characterization of Hector; this issue is where it all comes to bear. Golden has done some outstanding work building up the characters throughout this series, and next issue is the final confrontation between Fate and the Curse, with the world on the line.
