Review: Joe Golem and the Drowning City, Christopher Golden and Mike Mignola

Yes yes, I know. I didn't post anything yesterday, even though I said I would.

I'm still sick, you know. But I'm here now.

So here we go, It's one of the more fun reads I had last year, and also the last review post I still wanted to get done from the bygone year of 2017:

America, New York.

It's been fifty years since the earth shook and rose the sea level more than 30 feet, dividing the once great metropolis into the bright lanes of rich Uptown, and the flooded streets of the Drowning City. But even in the water-logged downtown, humanity still endures in the buildings of the past. Those that are left are reduced to the homeless, the destitute, and the poor determined to make do with what they have.

But with poverty comes crime and in the drowning city good walks hand in hand with bad.

Felix Orlov was once a talented stage magician, but age and a changing world have driven him from the spotlight and keep him indoors as a psychic medium. As a man with genuine psychic ability he takes comfort in helping those who grieve.

To help him, he has taken in young orphan Molly Mchugh. But when a seance goes terribly wrong and men with gasmasks kidnap Felix, Molly is left all alone again.

Running from the mysterious assailants, she is rescued by a man called Joe who, in return for her help in finding an object for his boss, will help her finding Felix.

But can Felix even be saved? Who is the mysterious man who kidnapped him and why?

And what is this strange object Joe's odd employer is looking for?

And what about Joe himself? Friendly but strange, a man of terrible violence and tormented by horrible dreams that feel like memories but can not possibly be real.

Young Molly will have to keep her wits about her and her mind open if she's to have any hope of finding her friend again.

Just like with the Baltimore novel, I went in with an open mind and ended up loving it.

I think I actually might love it even a little better than Baltimore, if I think about it. It's weird, because the premise isn't all that interesting to me. For some reason, steampunk sleuthing with Lovecraftian monsters comes a distinct second after angry, vicious bald man with a sabre on the hunt for vengeance in a dark and gothic landscape. You can call me boring if you like.

But maybe it's just that Baltimore is a little more consistent. Although, if I think about it... Baltimore definitely had some steampunk elements too. 

Hmm, give me some time to think it over.

At any rate, it's undeniable that this one is better written (than the Baltimore novel). It's truly  a beautiful little tale, but it's a very dark one too.

The main problem is that this is definitely a story that needs a continuation. And in my opinion: In novel format.

I want to see these emotions described to be able to feel them. I need the liberty of imagination to summon up those emotions. It's a rare comic book that'll give me those feelings *cough* Y, the Last man *cough*. I mention this because I was rather touched by some parts of the novel. There is some genuine heartfelt melancholy here even when shit is blowing up around our protagonists. This is Lovecraft but invoking, instead of horror (and mild irritation at the writing style), wonder and love.

Christopher Golden's skills seem to have grown since I last read him, Because the premise of the story requires the attention to detail required to bring life to such an original setting and a lot of time is spent on describing the environment. As I didn't have any issues with this and the city was pretty well rendered in my mind, in mood if not geography, it seems he is very good at scene-setting, as every chapter simply breathes the Drowning City's damp and downtrodden atmosphere.

Also, his penchant for the occasional well-turned phrase was very welcome.

p 143

"His vision swam in and out, the world flickering along with the candle of his life..."

p 159

"Dust motes swirl, a languid storm of neglect floating in the pale yellow light"

Like in Baltimore, the theme of the heart is here. Mechanical or made of muscle, both stories revolve around them a great deal and what they mean. Whether the drive of a man can make of him a monster and how much humanity he sets aside to achieve his goals. In both Baltimore and Joe Golem that theme is present and symbolized by physical hearts. In one, a heart of tin and in the other, a heart of steam and machinery.

Yeah, I genuinely loved this one.

Oh, as a little sidenote. Just like in Baltimore the cover purports this to be an illustrated novel. But honestly, the black and white illustrations serve more to set mood than whatever you might be expecting. There is a stand out piece or two, maybe, but don't expect too much of that particular aspect of the novel.

There's also a lovely little short story at the back, where Joe investigates a plea for help from a woman whose daughter has been having nightmares.

As you can probably guess, it's of course a little more than that.

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And, doubly of course, since this is part of the whole deal now:

After some initial confusion about when the hell this story took place (the timeline didn't seem to make sense, but it turns out I got my facts wrong in my head instead) I found that I enjoyed it quite a bit. It doesn't exactly strive to remain in the same voice as the novel is in, but as the focus this time is squarely on Joe it isn't much of a problem. In the novel there's a constant deep sense of melancholy, which was beautiful and something I generally quite enjoy. But in the comic there didn't have to be as we follow the loveable genial detective-bruiser who, despite horror and bloodshed, has some things starting to look up for him.

The whole comic takes place, around 10 years before the novel, which places it 40 years after the world-shaking event that flooded New York. In the Rat Catcher, Joe Golem is investigating a series of child kidnappings. He soon finds that something monstrous is preying on children in the murky waters of the flooded streets.

There are also some depictions of some of those dreams that the novel also makes reference too.

And gory as they are they are mesmerizing to look at.

Fun, fast-paced and violent. What more do you need?

I'm not sure this three-parter got resolved properly. Rather, it did, of course, but I'm not sure if the hand working behind the scenes belongs to the antagonist of the novel or if the story was setting something up for another in-comic story arc later on.

In the Sunken Dead, Joe, together with professor Church investigate a heightening in occult activity in an abandoned locale.

Which was also a pretty pleasant tale. 

There's a large focus on action with these tales. And as the cover for the Sunken Dead clearly purports to the reader: this is pulp, so expect pulp.

(Maybe that's also a reason why I was so let down by Baltimore? When things take themselves serious all the time, the wrong notes will linger on after the music ends, maybe. But if the premise itself is clearly more about having fun, then it's the serious story line that stands out and becomes the odd one out. Welcome, for certain, but not par the expected norm. Start low, end high. It's all about expectation.)

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So now, with both the comic and novel added to the Baltimore universe, this is what that looks like for the moment, in chronological order from top to bottom:

The slim red volume at the top is the paperback version of the novel,
it comes with black and white versions of the Baltimore comics: The Widow, and The Tank.

And even though the Joe Golem comic takes place chronologically before the The Drowning City.

There are some things that do give away aspects and key scenes of the novel so make sure you dive into the novel first.

At the last I feel compelled to add that now that Joe Golem is done I find I'm pleased with this universe again. I'd love to have some more stories that fit in there. But for now I'll just settle down and wait for the upcoming Volume 2 of Joe Golem Occult Detective (even the title screams pulp!).