Faithless III #1 features bold art and erotic mysticism, but the dry story turns the passion and occult into an underwhelming journey.
Eisner Award-winning writer Brian Azzarello has a knack for penning stories that portray the baser instincts of human nature and question readers’ moral and spiritual integrity. A BOOM! Studios title, Faithless is just such a tale, featuring passion and artistic ambition that mixes western esotericism and the occult with dark suspense. Faith is an artist embroiled in a whirlwind romance with supermodel Poppy and her father, the mysterious Louis Thorn. Thorn introduces Faith to the opulent world of art and encourages her to create one masterpiece after another. What starts as an idyllic journey of lust and fame soon turns into a misadventure as Faith learns the truth about the Thorn family. Faithless III #1 opens a new chapter in Faith’s life, which is not off to a great start.
Faithless III #1, written by Brian Azzarello with art by Maria Llovet, takes place nine months after the events of the last volume. Faith has resurfaced after mysteriously disappearing for months. While the world debates whether this was performance art or a publicity stunt, Ginny is relieved to find her best friend healthy and alive. She visits the studio of master artist Louis Thorn where Faith is recuperating from her journey into the unknown. Faith initially appears aloof, even though this is her first encounter with Ginny in many years. However, the mention of Ginny’s son Jacob opens up a well of emotions in her. Ginny becomes the unlikely focus of the issue as the story follows in her footsteps.
Creator of the critically acclaimed Batman: Damned and 100 Bullets, Brian Azzarello has a reputation for penning dark storylines. The opening sequence of Faithless III #1 throws the reader right into passionate scenes dripping with trance-induced carnality. There is, however, more than meets the eye as a haunting narration about isolation and validation hangs in the air. The story structure is linear, with witty quips providing natural entry points into conversations. Like Faith’s demeanor, however, the story feels dry, meandering from scene to scene until the final panel that gives an ominous tone to the book.
The artwork of Faithless III #1 is structured to evoke an emotional response from the reader. Artist Maria Llovet’s style bleeds melancholy, with an ornate, graphic portrayal of sensual desire and the supernatural lining the book. Her continuous lines and bold ink smudges deftly capture the wide range of facial expressions and give the issue a dreamy look. Llovet paints each panel in warm colors, only picking up cooler shades to capture the ethereal. The background colors help the foregrounded characters pop out and do not distract the reader from Azzarello’s storytelling.
Faithless III #1 is an uneven journey through Faith’s life. Her chilly disposition suggests that she has lost something vital to her being during her voyage into the beyond, but the opposite could equally be true. Not only does this deepen the mystery surrounding her disappearance, but it also keeps the readers distanced from the heart of the mystery. While the dry story may push readers away, Azzarello and Llovet have nonetheless created a beautiful cocktail of drama and mysticism. Faithless III #1 ends things on an ominous tone, which at least keeps readers intrigued until the next issue.
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