SCARLET TRACES
Reviewed by Scott Stuart

by Ian Edginton & D'Israeli
Dark Horse Comics
$14.95


WAR OF THE WORLDS continues to have an impact upon popular culture unlike that of any other science fiction work. When H.G. put pen to paper, and when Orson stepped up to the microphone, the name Wells has ensured that our dreams of Mars are tinged not only with the red of its sand but the red of human blood as well. In Scarlet Traces, the blood runs thick under the gleaming surface of an enigmatic alternate London.

It could be argued that entries into the fictional history genre, even those using War of the Worlds as a point of divergence, are common enough to be seen as almost indulgent. Indulgence in creative spheres is often made tolerable, and occasionally enjoyable, by the revelry and enthusiasm that creators bring to such works; often these are the stories that writers and artists have dreamed of telling for many years.

It is not, then, surprising that Edginton and D'Israeli spent ten years taking SCARLET TRACES from conception to the fine volume recently released by Dark Horse; nor is it surprising that the lush detail and compelling narrative contained in the volume are testament to such a commitment. The creators bring genuine affection to each page. Neither party should be unfamiliar to modern audiences, Edginton recently working many of the mainstreams with several high profile titles, D'Israeli perhaps best known for his classic collaboration with Warren Ellis, LAZARUS CHURCHYARD.

At different times set for publication on defunct website Cool Beans World and serialised in an English anthology, SCARLET TRACES was conceived over a decade ago and is newly, finally, available for the shelf.

A wild, inventive mystery drives SCARLET TRACES to an unexpectedly dark finish. It did not take alien-ravaged England long to recover from the aftermath of the invasion and to co-opt the Martian technology into the Industrial Revolution. Spider-legged handsome cabs scuttle London's streets and assassins carry heat rays on their dark business.

Against this backdrop, retired gentlemen soldier Major Robert Autumn seizes the disappearance of the niece of his manservant and former sergeant, Archibald Currie, as an opportunity to find meaning in civilian life. The clues take them from gleaming, prosperous London to a bleak, depressed, post-industrial Glasgow to discover someone has been preying on desperate, young women with promise of work and lodging. As Autumn and Currie uncover exactly who is behind the disappearances they also uncover the ghastly nature of the aftershocks of invasion on a vulnerable society.

Though a decade in the making, it is a sad social commentary that parable about invasion is always timely. Edginton's tale ends on a surprisingly downbeat note which, coupled with the gruesome and conspiratorial villainy, is a refreshing choice for what could have easily have been just another pretty, light-hearted romp through the classics. Genres of all kinds are awash with revisitations and reworkings at this time, and it takes a special story to escape the mass.

The plot races, which results in excitement and occasionally confusion as well. Characters make logical leaps that aren't quite borne out by the evidence the reader has at hand, and thus scene changes seem arbitrary. The plausibility of response is sacrificed once too often to the exigencies of dramatic storytelling. Nevertheless, the story is engaging and most of the dialogue solid. The bumps on the surface are infrequent.

It's one-time status as a web-comic has impacted the art in the final book in many ways, some as subtle as the colour palette and some as important as the design ethic. The world's devices and machinery were given a more detailed structural underpinning because there were going to be sections of 3D animation featuring the alien vehicles on the web. These principles were applied to all of the cranes, fire engines and other devices that appear in the book, and the result is an enjoyable and plausible world. The design and spirit imbued in the Martian and Martian-derived technologies is delightful and inventive, but also classically literate as well.

D'Israeli's open, stylistic and detailed approach served well as a rip-roaring adventure and atmospheric mystery but was unable to carry the spectre of dark menace that the denouement of Edginton's script tried to imply. The bleak side of England's new golden age, the working class slums of the north, were conveyed rather than felt by the art and the cartoony character designs also seemed unsuited to the essentially dark nature of the tale, failing to carry the full breadth of emotion the story required. While he did an inspired job in many respects, there is a gap between intent and execution in the final read that lessens the impact of the central themes.

That said, the art as a package is accomplished. The backgrounds, are reminiscent of Darrow in their fastidious detail yet sense of open space. Aided ably by sensibly flat colour selection, the final effect is a delight in oddball architecture, a suitably peculiar world next door. In addition, the response to the layout constraints of multiple publishing formats was simple yet effective, and clearly subject to laboured planning.

Although it has flaws, SCARLET TRACES is a good book, worth the attention of anyone with a passion for Wells. The passion of the creators is visible on every page, and such spirit has made many a work more than the sum of its parts. While not a book aimed at shattering boundaries, it nonetheless breaks old ground with the spirit of the new and still charms through the obvious affection brought to the story.

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Scott Stuart is a regular contributor to PopImage.


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