Reviewer: Mathan “Thwump†Erhardt
Story Title: Tongue’s of Flame
Written by: Brian K Vaughan
Penciled by: Pia Guerra
Inked by: Jose Marzan, Jr.
Lettered by: Clem Robins (and Company)
Colored by: Zylonol
Editor: Will Dennis
Publisher: Vertigo/DC Comics
All you really need to know is that there was a plague that killed all the males on the planet, except two, Yorick and his pet monkey Ampersand. Now Yorick is on a dual mission to find is girlfriend and y’know help save humankind.
Well Yorick and company have arrived in California. I say and company because 355, Dr. Mann and Ampersand don’t really appear this issue. It’s as close to a Yorick spotlight as we’ve had. Yorick enters a church and makes a Judy Blume reference. It’s good to see that the events of last issue haven’t changed the guy at all. Or have they?
Y’see Yorick is there to make a confession. Of course he’s disguised in the gas mask apparel, so when he meets the sole resident of the church the confrontation is as awkward as usual. She lights him aflame, he removes the disguise, revealing his sex, and then they talk.
Now aside from the huge scar across her face, the resident is quite the looker, and she flirts with Yorick like a lonely woman at last call. She also mentions that her name is Beth (coincidently also the name of Yorick’s long lost girlfriend.) They talk about the religious state of the world and how due to sexism, the Catholic Church isn’t the #1 destination point for the women believers.
Yorick feels the need to confess that he murdered a girl last issue. Beth points out the difference between killing in self-defense and murder. Then she tells him about where she was when the plague hit; a flight attendant in an airplane with a religious woman trying to tell her how to land the plane. Needless to say there is a lot of guilt in the issue.
The issue ends with Beth and Yorick taking a walk through a graveyard. Yorick finally gives in to his passions and Beth is more than receptive. Everything point to a successful attempt at helping jumpstart the human race, when Yorick jinxes it by mentioning the fate of every woman he’s gotten close to thus far. And wouldn’t you know it; some Amazons are right around the corner. To be concluded.
Vaughan shows that he deserves all the acclaim he receives. Here we have an issue where three of the four major characters are missing, yet it doesn’t seem to lack a thing. We get to see Yorick get something off his chest, and finally show some manly desires. Plus we get a glimpse at the Plague from another perspective. The dialogue is great as always, especially the pop culture references. It’s nice to see a world that actually seems to exist rather than take place in a vacuum.
Pia has returned! I love Pia’s art on this book. This is clearly her baby. And her love translates to the page. In an issue that is all about conversation with little action, Pia still makes it visually stimulating. The torture on Yorick’s face, the lust in Beth’s eyes, and the horrific scene on the plane are all rendered flawlessly. Marzan’s inks perfectly compliment Pia’s pencils. Robins (and company) deserve extra for making a wordy issue seem not too wordy. And the colors do a great job of giving the church the muted look.
