2 SISTERS #1

Black and white brilliance

By Kurt Amacker     June 08, 2005

Sometimes one reads a comic that embodies the medium in its purest form visual storytelling. 2 SISTERS is one such book. Works like this shoot down any notion of comic books as children's literature and really flex the medium's muscles. 2 SISTERS is an espionage tale set in World War II. In it, orphan Elle comes of age and begins a career spying for the English government. The story simultaneously traces the movement of an ancient Roman artifact from its origins in a bathhouse to Venice years later, then aboard a pirate ship. Ultimately, the two stories intersect and the story wraps nicely.

Besides the subject matter, the great difference between 2 SISTERS and most comics is its lack of dialogue. There are passages where characters speak a bit, but Matt Kindt tells most of the story through images alone. I realize that comics sans dialogue aren't new, but they're still a fraction of the stories published. To convey a story of this depth and length with minimal dialogue must be extremely difficult and I applaud Kindt for his ambition.

The two sisters of the title are the aforementioned Elle and her sister Anna. Frequent flashbacks show us the sisters' childhood in the English countryside as the older Anna charged into adulthood all too quickly, leaving behind the one person that cared about her most. The tragedy that befell Anna motivates Elle from the start, though we aren't privy to it for many pages. When Elle leaves the orphanage at age 18, she volunteers to drive an ambulance for the war effort. A young spy named Alan Scott simultaneously romances her and recruits her before she witnesses his death during a German attack. After Scott's superiors confront Elle, she spies for her government until an operation to destroy a new German super-weapon reveals a secret she never anticipated. All the while, we witness the travels of the Roman artifact, knowing full well that it will one day cross Elle. When it does, its effect is bittersweet, but ultimately satisfying.

Kindt's art is both cartoonish and richly detailed. At first glance, his figures appear almost crude. But upon closer inspection, one sees the consistency and detail that make his inky, dark figures convey a wide array of emotions both obvious and subtle. Most impressive is Kindt's ability to visually portray what would normally be conveyed through dialogue. Honestly, the task seems daunting, and it's something most would be hesitant to try. When the characters do speak, their words are sparse and hand-lettered. It lends a charming, organic feel to the entire book that couldn't work with computer lettering.

2 SISTERS is simple in its approach, yet utterly brilliant in its execution. I can't speak well of it enough. Get this one at all costs. It's available through Diamond or at Top Shelf Productions' web site.

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