Writer: Elena Carrillo
Artist: Jaime Carrillo
Publisher: Here There Be Monsters Press
There isn’t much to say about the first issue of Eleison. Why, you may ask? Well, there just isn’t much in the way of comic book analysis I can do here. Let me explain. This issue of Eleison, subtitled Conception, is the first of three prologue issues for this series. All three of the issues are produced in a style similar to Stephen King’s Cycle of the Werewolf, a prose story with copious graphic interludes to enhance the story. However, all of the illustrations are like plates in children’s books, with no text or balloons to incorporate the images directly into the story. Therefore, this is mainly Elena Carrillo’s show in the prologue. After the first three issues, the series will move into full sequential art and become a true comic book series. I guess that is the main problem I have with reviewing this first issue of Eleison: this is not a comic book.
Now, I know some of you are probably saying, “Robert, dude, you are being way too literal with your comic book anatomy.” I say I’m not. Again, let me explain (I feel like I’m in court!). As most of us will agree, comics are a sequential art-form that combines images and words seamlessly. In the Eleison prologue, the words are the master with the pictures almost getting in the way. There is not a clear unity of the two arts. This issue is constructed similar to a children’s book, where pictures are used to keep kids interested and grounded in the story being told. I’m not sure why Elena and Jaime Carrillo thought this would be a good idea, particularly since they are moving toward a full sequential comic book. Why didn’t they just start the entire series this way? I’m sure the Carrillo’s had something in mind here, but for my money the prologue doesn’t really seem too effective in promoting the coming series.
As for the particulars of this issue, the title Eleison must refer to Kyrie Eleison, which means "Lord have mercy" in Roman Catholicism (no, not the Mr. Mister song, you 80s dolts!). Inside, our hero, Father Jean-Marithe Baptiste (or Waabooz), is a missionary among the Fish Clan, a tribe of Indians. He has a dream about a mosquito- woman which comes to fruition when a young priest named Peck seeks Baptiste’s help in exorcizing a woman who suffers from some sort of vampirism. Also introduced is Decimus Quintilius, who I can only describe as a mixture of Sauron, Spartacus, and a creature from Army of Darkness (groovy!). Basically, this is all the reader learns so far about this series. Elena Carrillo’s writing is good, but nothing extraordinary in the realm of fantasy short fiction. And, due to the fact that this issue is not written in comic book form, I don’t know how Ms. Carrillo’s writing will translate into a fully sequential series. As for Mr. Carrillo, the artwork he displays here is very good when analyzed as still images that are interpretations of story events. However, we don’t know how this art will play when he has to give his characters the appearance of motion and move the story easily from panel to panel. Like I said, as a comic book reviewer, I can’t really give you a great review of this issue since nothing is being elucidated about the coming series. See me again after I’ve read Issue #4.
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