Graphic Novel Reviews: Heavy Vol. 1

What’s really out there in the Great Beyond? Bill has an up close and personal view of the Big Wait and its multiverses in a chaotic adult tale about redemption and closure.

An untimely demise leaves Bill in purgatory limbo as he’s tasked with dealing with the baddies of multiple universes to earn himself some proverbial karma cookies. Motivated by the possibility of seeing his wife again, the Frank Castle-esque character sets out to exact justice where it’s due–but at what ultimate cost? Will Bill ever make the Climb, or is all his work for naught? When he’s partnered up with what amounted to be his greatest enemy in the living world, it seems like he’s in for a lot more than he actually bargained for.

Bemis has a no holds barred approach in this volume that collects Heavy #1-6. Sometimes edgy for the sake of simply being so, the characters are wild, uninhibited, and every bit of disorderly that will leave readers wondering “What the heck just happened?” The plot is a whirlwind of action, violence, and crude humor that makes Heavy most appropriate for adult readers. Donovan’s art, recognizable from titles such as DC’s Constantine and Gotham City Garage, offers expressive and unique characters crafted with jagged lines, vivid color contrasts, and scenic backgrounds that immerses the reader in the thick of the story.

Heavy is recommended for readers over the age of 17–multiple instances of nudity, sexual content, drug use, and language occur throughout this volume. At its core, it’s a story that combines gritty crime and cartoonish violence with a fantastical world where we’re reminded that sometimes there isn’t a cut-and-dry definition of good versus bad. Sometimes you hover in a gray area and hope that a chance at redemption will open up the Pearly Gates.