Kot’s LA

I am not sure if this is a view shared by many, but season two of True Detective was quite disappointing. Nic Pizzolatto tried to do too many things in the allotted runtime of a season whose story won’t continue in a future season.

But the world provides remedies for disappointment quite quickly, and often, in places that are not too distant from the original fizzled out artistic project.

In this case, I found a comic series from Image that does LA more justice than Pizzolatto did. The comic is called Wolf. Ales Kot, the writer, who is only 29 years old, is already being considered the Grant Morrison of his generation, writes it. This is huge praise, equivalent to some young novelist being compared to Hemmingway in his debut. This is perhaps founded on the fact that Kot has never been one to shy away from psychedelic material whilst exploring resounding philosophical themes and often avoided discussions – like racism. Also, his list of influences include: Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett, James Ellroy, HP Lovecraft, Neil Gaiman, Joan Didion, David Lynch and Joni Mitchell. Makes sense.

Yet, right now, comics that produce first issues like Brian K. Vaughn’s Saga or Rick Remender’s Tokyo Ghost, issues that both hit the ground running, are having the most success. On the other hand, Kot starts his work with an almost disorienting lack of direction. So many concepts are explored in the first issue that it can alienate the reader.

Now here is why I compared Wolf to the second season of True Detective. They are both set in LA and they are both crime noir. That is it. But Wolf approaches the world of LA in a far more enjoyable way.

The story starts with a man in a straightjacket on fire looking at the city while singing Hellhound on My Trail. I won’t say any more to avoid spoilers. Only this, the world he creates is this muted city that lets the reader feel the bubbling machinations in an LA that is, in this fictional reality, filled not only with people, but with myths as well.

I suggest, if you are up for a heady and incredibly interesting comic book read, check out the Czech-born writers newest project, Wolf. Also, take a look at his older stuff, like Material and The Surface.