Loveless #7 & #8 - DC

I'm only doing these two together because somehow #7 was missed in my pull, but I didn't realize it until this week when I went to pick up #8. I saw #7 sitting there and I didn't think that I had read it. At least I didn't miss it. This is a great book. I know. A Western in 2006? But, hey. It works. First of all Brian Azzarello's writing is spendid. When I saw this book first advertised, I knew it would be good, if for no other reason than the writing. His work on 100 Bullets, has been outstanding. And he's carried over the same work ethics to this book. And this artist, DanijelZezelj, at first I wasn't sure. The art fit the book, but I wasn't overly thrilled with it. Now, I look over every page a couple times to make sure I see all the detail. He has taken Frank Miller's style that he developed for Sin City, with the shadows defining the art work rather than the pencil and lines, to a whole new lever. The opening page to #7 is just a piece of art. The same goes for the panel on page 3, where she is looking down into the water,and you can see the reflection of her face amongst the ripples. Just outstanding. I also like the way he uses color for the present tense, and the browned hugh on the flashbacks. This issues focus' mainly on Ruth Cutter, and what she's had to go through since her husband Wes has left for the war. How the roles the women took on back then, were way different than the things they do and have to deal with now. Brian also did a neat thing in that all the past tense contained the dialogue, and the story with the present was told strictly with art. #8 on the other hand now, is mostly about Wes. What he's had to deal with since coming back from the war. Then there's mister Trotter, he appears to be one of the wealthiest men in town. He has decided that because of Wes' background, he would be the perfect candidate for Sheriff. Although I think he has some underlying motives to this that we haven't seen yet. Only time will tell. So this story tells of his present dealings with this Mr. Trotter, and with some flashbacks during the war, how the present is tied in with his past. And with a town name of BlackWater, you just know that there's more mayhem coming down the road. Excellent story, fantastic art, what more could you ask for? If you haven't tried this book out yet, you definitely need to. This story has the vibrancy and feel of the early Alan Moore Swamp Things. I think they will become just as classic also.