Regicide #3 // Review
The farmer and his masked guide approach a walled city. Basic lodging for the night. They've been traveling for a while. The farmer frustrated. The masked figure isn't telling him much. There must be some reason for it. Even if it's a good reason, it's no less frustrating for the farmer. There is a reason to believe that the stranger knows much more about the situation than he's letting on in Regicide #3. Writer Patrick Kindlon and artist Ludovic Lalliat continue with deeply allegorical fantasy adventure that crew was to be provocative. There's a lot going on in the story that rest beneath its surface.
The masked stranger has told the farmer to explain that the two of them are pilgrims. That he has taken a vow of silence. And that he is his uncle. The farmer does as he is told and they enter the city. It's very insular. Most people on the outside wouldn't necessarily understand it. The people of the city are really into injuring themselves. Not actually masochistic, they're merely self-flagellating for religious purposes. Doesn't make it any easier to accept. Doesn't make it any less disturbing. The farmer and the mat figure are going to need to keep the low profile if they're going to be able to survive.
There is quite a bit of contemporary allegory in the concept of an entire community of people who abuse themselves for purposes of religion. It might be easy to just present the idea, and then move on. However, Kindlon DOES managed to engage it on a deeper level as the heroes do what the heroes do in the process of their journey. There is an impressive complexity to the nature of the situation that feels like it holds a lot of dramatic potential.
The art could glorify the aesthetics of the situation in a way that amplifies the latent sexual side of it. Thankfully,Lalliat never really goes in on that completely. It really is a a very mature look at the visual reality of a pre-modern culture based on self abuse. Some of the visuals are intended to be horrifying. Particularly at the climax. The artist delivers them with a competent sense of maturity. Everything needs the page in a way. That's both dynamic and interesting while also avoiding a cartoonish over exaggeration of the action that's being presented on the page.
There's so much dramatic potential with the city in question. There's no reason why an entire series couldn't be done on it. It's a fascinating and kind of an idea with lots of potential for exploring different angles on intention, aggression, and self sacrifice which mirror the modern world in a way that would be really interesting to see done in a fantasy setting. As it is, it's just one encounter for this particular pair of heroes. But it really could be so much more. There's a lot to be sad about what people will endure for what they believe.
