Why is the angel such a fascinating breed of mythological creature? Not the silly, serene kind that’s been turned into a mass-marketing gimmick by Hallmark, but rather the muscled, raging angel that stands ready for cosmic battle. We’ve seen this archetype before, mostly commonly in the form of the fallen Morningstar, Lucifer: his tragic figure was popularized by Milton in Paradise Lost, and has since been kept alive in comic books like the deep, dark works of Neil Gaiman and Mike Carey. He’s never an ugly monster, but rather a handsome, youthful beauty cursed for his impetuous thirst for freedom, his wild and unchained spirit.
I never expected to find that same Lucifer, that same kind of angel, in the pages of Tom Hutchison’s Penny for Your Soul, but there he was in all of his majestic glory. Granted, this Big Dog Ink book has sandwiched itself nicely into the library of comics that keenly (not to mention humorously) analyze religion with such an edge that if you’re not care, you will cut yourself.
Penny for Your Soul, for all those who need a refresher, tells the story of Danica, the daughter of Damien, the up-and-coming Antichrist. He made an appearance in the second issue to chastise his daughter for diverting souls away from his princedom of Hell, which occurs whenever she buys the spirits of the lustful patrons of the Eternity Hotel and Casino. The price tag is steep: $10,000 per soul, but each one is worth it in the long run—and what a long run it is.
But Hell isn’t the only cosmic domain with its eye on Danica and the Eternity: at the end of the last issue, Jesus Christ himself made an appearance. He tells Danica that he’s just as aware of what she’s up to as Hell is, and he doesn’t like it. I must confess—this scene left me in stitches as Mary “Maggie” Magdalene stepped in and threw Jesus out of the hotel for trespassing. Remember that in the first issue, it was revealed that when Jesus dumped Maggie for his televangelist career, Danica took her in. There’s some bad blood boiling.
As the third issue of the Penny miniseries, this book is packed with information and subplots. And yet, writer Hutchison is as skilled, sly, dexterous, and passionate for his story as any writer working for the major publishers in the industry—if not more so. The control he has over his narrative is awe-inspiring. Not a word misused, not a panel misplaced. Each and every one of his characters is rich with texture, coming to life whenever they appear.
Hutchison is dealing with sensitive material, I guess, but anyone who knows me understands that I am no soppy, bleeding heart for religion. Perhaps that is why I am so drawn to the story being told here: I more or less agree with every sentiment presented, and I admire the craft being used to communicate it. But this book is more “respectful” (that’s not the proper word to use, but alas, I can’t think of one better) than other religion-eviscerating comic books, namely Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon’s Preacher.
This leads me to the appearance of Lucifer in the book: I’d be surprised if Hutchison hasn’t drawn some amount of inspiration from the Vertigo incarnation of the renegade angel. This isn’t to be mistaken with plagiarism or theft; while I see hints, the Lucifer in this book is very much his own being with his own goals, affectations, and appearance.
Artist J.B. Neto’s illustrations here are the best they’ve been. He’s labored over all of the details, and it shows. Not one image is rushed, and everyone is visualized with true personality. The same must be said for the palette of colorist Oren Kramek, as his work with Neto is always beautiful to look at. The shimmering visions of angels and the fiery pits of Hell possess a near-glow. Everything is so vivid it’s alive.
The plot of Penny for Your Soul appears to be heading towards some kind of battle, and yet I believe Hutchison is much more cunning than this. His focus has always been on human desire and passion and how otherworldly beings try to repress that in us. Simply put: sex is Hutchison’s artistic strength, not war. I trust he knows where he’s going, because he hasn’t guided his readers in the wrong direction yet.
Ultimately, it must be said that Penny for Your Soul is one of my favorite independent comics of 2010.
This comic book review originally appeared on Broken Frontier on 16 September 2010.
