Crying Bravo for ‘Cry Havoc’

Hanging on the window of my local comic store is a dark blue poster with the tagline, “It’s not about a lesbian werewolf going to war, except it kind of is.” The moment I saw it, Cry Havoc had my attention.

I’m still fairly new to reading comics, having only picked up my first book a couple years ago, so I am still trying to determine what it is that I like and what I do not. But, in my experience, if it is published by Image, I am likely to enjoy it, and this book is no exception.

Cry Havoc is like no book I’ve read before. Split into three different time periods – differentiated by color and colorist – the book tells the story of our protagonist Louise Canton from the beginning (blue), the middle (tan), and the end (red), jumping fluidly between the eras in each book. Though, regardless of how the scenes in the red part of the book are labeled, the twists at the end of each of the two books published show that something much deeper is going on than we have seen far and it only leaves me wanting more.

Drifting through life, Lou’s job is playing her violin on the street corner while her zookeeper girlfriend Sam pays the bills. While there is certainly some tension between the two, which is only exacerbated by the incident which propels the whole story forward, it appears Lou and Sam have been together for a while and really do love each other. It will be interesting to see how the relationship plays out in the beginning/blue period. And what happens to it when the story moves into the middle/tan and the end/red.

There is so much going on in this book after only two issues that I find myself coming up with multiple ideas how the three parts are bridged. At the moment, they seem so separate it’s hard to imagine getting from beginning to end, so I look forward to seeing how they manage it. I am certain, however, it will involve the mythology that is expertly woven throughout the narrative, explained helpfully in the annotations at the end of each book.

Written by Simon Spurrier and illustrated by Ryan Kelly, this is my first book from either of them but it won’t be the last. Kelly’s art draws you in and Spurrier’s words transport you to time and place. The three artists – Nick Filardi, Lee Loughridge, and Matt Wilson – do a fantastic job of giving each section its own feel and atmosphere.

This is certainly not a book for children as it is rated M/Mature for good reason. Older teens would probably enjoy it and adults as well. Cry Havoc is available in comic stores as well as online at Comixology.