Night Fever
Ed Brubaker, writer; Sean Phillips, artist; Jacob Phillips, colorist
Image Comics, 2023
The creative team took a break from the Reckless series of graphic novels for this stand-alone story. Publisher's agent Jonathan Webb is in Europe on a business trip for a book festival and can't sleep. He finds himself wandering the night in a strange foreign city with his new friend, the mysterious and violent Rainer, as his guide. Rainer shows Jonathan the hidden world of the night, a world without rules or limits. Soon Webb finds himself engaging in all sorts of unusual behavior (for him): fearless gambling, followed by vengeance against those who ran him down and robbed him, then an encounter with a young French woman.
Arriving back at the hotel late, he remembers that he used to send his wife a postcard every day he was away from home. But now it feels awkward, and he can't find the words. Plus, he begins to abandon his professional responsibilities at the publisher's booth: he really does not feel like himself. Thinking the previous night's adventures were a unique experience, never to be repeated, he goes into the evening with no plans. But Rainer comes by to drive to a new caper, a burglary. As usual unexpected things happen, ending with a confrontation with an author that Webb represents. In the morning the police ask him to identify the body, and Rainer is talking about a deal they made (which he does not remember). In the end, the two meet up, and it is clear that Rainer intends to set Webb up for a murder, as well as the break-in earlier. Webb surprises him, and the next thing we know, he is headed home, in the clear.
There is a bizarre character arc: a regular guy discovers that he has criminal tendencies; acts on them and gets away with it; then goes back to his life, happy to be back to normal. It's a little like Kill or Be Killed, with a bit of Criminal flavor. But it has a unique tone and is highly recommended to Brubaker/Phillips fans.
Replies