Dial H #4 Review

One of the goals of the New 52 relaunch was to offer more bold and unique series outside of the usual superhero crowd. For whatever faults it might have, Dial H is never guilty of being familiar or formulaic. If anything, its weirdness has been a hurdle to overcome. Luckily, China Mieville's opening arc has progressed to the point where it's easier to see past the surreal nature of the writing and appreciate the characters.

The characters have been the major sticking point for me in the early issues. Other than the lead hero, Nelson, it's been difficult to identify with the book's cast or even determine what the villains actually want. Mieville makes their motivations somewhat more clear now. And by thrusting Squid into a sudden role reversal, Mieville makes this former villain into a worthy foil for Nelson. Nelson himself really steps up to the plate in issue #4. He's reached that phase in every budding hero's life where he has to prove his worth in the absence of his powers. Contrary to what his earlier appearances might suggest, Nelson rises to the challenge. Initially, his appeal centered around the novelty of having a protagonist who wasn't a rugged manly man or a gangly super-genius. But he's grown more fleshed out and three-dimensional with each new issue.

In some aspects the surreal qualities of the book are still a bit much. I still don't find myself caring much about the villain Abyss or the threat it poses to the world. Dial H is interesting more as a quirky character study than a grand, reality-spanning adventure. Mieville's dialogue can also be wonky at times. As is the case with many novelists-turned-comic writers, some lines read better in prose form than they do as comic book dialogue.

Mateus Santolouco brings just the right blend of gritty harshness and bizarre imagery to the table in his art. This book looks and feels very much like a lost project from the early years of the Vertigo imprint (albeit with much better coloring). As much as Vertigo has shrunk in recent years, it's good to know that DC is still willing to publish books of that style, even if they now carry the New 52 banner.

Jesse is a writer for IGN Comics and various other IGN channels. Follow Jesse on Twitter, or find him on IGN.

Source : ign[dot]com