Unwritten falls short

With Michael Carey's most recent project, "The Unwritten," it seems he was abducted by aliens and replaced by an illiterate doppelganger. "The Unwritten," a series in progress, is being published by Vertigo, DC's seal for graphic novels intended for mature adults. The new series hit the shelves July 9,  and is currently on its sixth issue.

It tells the adventures of Tom Taylor, a rather bitter and unfulfilled man, whose only real accomplishment is his birthright. Taylor's father was the author of an extraordinarily successful book series named after his son, the "Tommy Taylor" chronicles, and written in a "Harry Potter" style.

The comic's plot begins with Taylor's father's fans obsessively stalking and harassing Tom. The father's fans fluctuate from love for the writer's son to declarations of him being a dreadful impostor.

The first issue leaves the readers hanging. Tom Taylor is kidnapped by a mentally unstable fan, who really thinks he is the book's arch villain, he is then later saved by another, equally as disturbed enthusiast. Is the crazy fan right? Is he a real villain transported from the book to the real world? And what about Tom's father, how and why did he disappear?  These are the questions Carey goads the reader with to continue interest in the series.

Carey's new comic hardly has the same effect some of his former works have had. 
With a plot line just short of silly, not to mention boring, the only thing readers might think after the final page is ‘yeah, sure, I would not mind knowing what is going to happen next, but it is not worth the gas, and the drive to the comic store to find out.' The bright side for the publisher, and Carey, is the one dollar price per issue.

"The Unwritten's" beginnings left a bitter taste. Maybe it is Carey's personal diatribe about annoying and harassing fans, or the lack thereof? The simple fact that issues 1 through 5 are still available (in a rather large quantity) at specialized stores is proof that Carey's latest work lacks.

Regardless, Carey has penned some amazing comics; "Hellblazer" (#s 175–215, and #229), the "Lucifer" series and "Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere" (#s 1-9) published by DC Vertigo. He has also done some issues of "X-Men Origins" and various "X-Men: Endangered Species" issues, both published by Marvel.

"Lucifer" (Vertigo, 2000-2006), the graphic novels, are Carey's collective masterpiece. The story is about the devil, Lucifer Morningstar, and his reign as the treacherous king of the underworld.

"Lucifer" is one of the many spin-offs from Neil Gaiman's prestigious saga, "The Sandman" (Vertigo, 1989-1996). Unfortunately, this is the only spin-off that made it into a full grown monthly comic book, while the others ended up as mini-series titles, such as "Death", and "Lucifer's" predecessor, "The Sandman Presents: Lucifer."

Carey delves into more theology with "Lucifer" than just using pre-Satan as the main character. God's most faithful Archangel of creation, Michael, is exiled, angel Amenadiel is dead, and Duma, the guardian of silence, is damned by the end of the 40th issue.

No matter how many angels Morningstar tricks or how many he kills, the fans will still find him likeable. His charms are masterfully displayed in ink as a forty something, handsome blond playboy, always donning a black suit. He is pure evil; the only blessing he grants between the first and the 75th issues are death, and earthly disgrace.

Carey also partook on the writing of one of the greatest horror graphic novels ever printed in "Hellblazer," which inspired the film, Constantine (2005), named after the comic's main character.

Many faithful fans, before the film was released, argued against the mischaracterization of John Constantine. In the comic he is a blond and British demon hunter. But, in the movie, he is a black haired American without an accent, in the form of Keanu Reeves.

Although, not what the more discerning fans were hoping for, the film was a hit. Original Constantine trademarks, such as his British wit coupled with a lower class attitude, gave way to a classier, darker, and more realistic character that enabled the stories successful translation to the big screen.

But, concerning Mr. Carey's most recent work, there is time to recover - and by recovery, somebody should aid in the replacement of this evil doppelganger and rescue the real Carey from whatever alien force has possessed him.