Murder Falcon

Ever since I read the 7 part series, Do A Powerbomb, I've been intrigued about the other works of Daniel Warren Johnson, thinking that first series of his I'd been introduced was something special.

Well, this week, after recently ordering the trade through my LCS, I read DWJ's second series, Murder Falcon.

A story that feels like Pacific Rim meets Bill and Ted, Murder Falcon tells the story of Jake, a former guitarist of the Metal band Brooticus, who ekes out a life of depression after a terminal illness cost him his wife and, successively, his bandmates.

However, existing in a world besieged by monsters from a dimensional portal, Jake is one day introduced to Murder Falcon, an anthropomorphic birdman with a metal arm. He's come to save the world and is powered by heavy metal from a guitar which he has now bestowed to Jake, who's destined to save the world with it.

So, obviously, Murder Falcon is a story in need of a rather convoluted explanation. However, this doesn't change the fact that DWJ has told a poignant and heartbreaking story about a man coming back from the brink and facing his fears.

For that reason, I found myself incredibly invested in Jake, whose tortured and broken soul, while maybe too sombre for where I am at this point (maybe it's a painful reflection of a time gone by), is still one I can understand and, thus begs me to root for him.

Thankfully, he's got a tremendous cast of characters (including the titular hero) who support, love and even praise him in an effort to show him his worth.

As a result to this, this is a tremendous story of someone climbing from their darkness in an effort to regain the life they lost in some way.

Of course, I can't not talk about the premise of this series. While evil continues to destroy the world, humanity's only defence is ... music (?). DWJ has done something really unique with this notion and, in a very Bill and Ted ending way, proven the healing properties of music. As such, seeing a guy with a cowbell or even a whole orchestra taking out monsters is an incredible sight to see.

Speaking of sights, Murder Falcon (much like with Do A Powerbomb) is a constant collection of intense incredible art from beginning to end. DWJ provides a style which is incredibly rough compared to many comics I read These days. However, this frenetic style, which looks like he literally pours every ounce of his emotion on the pages, displays such an incredible energy to it that the artwork practically feels like its imbuing the metal that Brooticus are playing in the story. Sadly, there is a distinct lack of (probably) jagged musical notes to accompany the scenes that the instruments are played, but, for me, it's a minor absence that, while noticed, doesn't affect my enjoyment.

Whereas Do A Powerbomb hit me like a steel chair across the head, I fear that my lack of musical acumen limited this title from having the same impact. That said, Murder Falcon is still an unbelievable read that still pierced my heart with every strum of a guitar and swing of a giant metal arm.

I'm already looking into picking up Extremity, because DWJ is 2 for 2 with me and I really want to see if it's just as good where it all began.