I'm so behind in my reviews. Class is back in full session and taking up my extra time. I recently punched out a slew of Marvel Comics Presents reviews to finish that series up. And I'm just tired and really want to focus on things that relax me, like recateloging my collection to a new database.
I read the third volume of Department of Truth sometime in August, I think. Maybe early last month. 'Free Country' documents the after-story of Lee Harvey Oswald that occurs prior the events of November 1963. Here, while in hiding, Oswald digs through ancient texts that may explain why nothing actually happened during the Dark Ages, the truth behind Alistair Crowley and his occult practices in during the second world war and just maybe who really are the Men in Black.
As Oswald ages, he gets a chance to venture out on his own. But this little bit of freedom, especially during Summer of Love and the rise of LSD might just be too much for the possible assassin of JFK. It also might reveal that Oswald is just another fiction dreamed up by the Department of Truth...
After Volume 2, which with its take on the Satanic Panic of the 80s and thoughts about the reality of god and the world itself, this volume was a breath of fresh air. Plus events in Volume 2 were eerily similar to a lot of what has been going on with January 6th and what feels like a looming Civil War (or a just really dirty mid-term election cycle), made me feel weary and kinda dirty. Here with the legend of Lew Harvey Oswald, I felt like I was back on more familiarly safe terms within the realm of conspiracy theories. It was like when I first watched The X-Files all over again.
Another thing I liked about this issue was that the artwork was much different. The regular art of Martin Simmonds (Punks Not Dead) is very impressionistic. Everything looks smudgy and spray painted. Like the reader is getting a secret glimpse at the down and dirty foundation of reality; which is essentially what this series is all about. But I liked the different art styles of guests artists like that of Elsa Charretier (Star Wars: Forces of Destiny) and Tyler Boss (4 Kids Walk Into A Bank). That just added a like bit of variety to things.
This is a series that I hate to love. So much about this book and the covert ways our government is trying to prevent conspiracies from becoming actuality is just so unsettling; if only because there's a smattering of truth in the crux of everything. But I want to know what happens next. Dammit, Batman's James Tynion IV- why'd you have to go and craft such a chilling mystery?!
Worth Consuming!
Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.
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