Abbott

Starred review from October 15, 2018
There's no one better than Elena Abbott to cover hard-hitting stories for the Detroit Daily in 1972, and, while her editor tries hard to protect her, the paper's board isn't too keen on a brilliant, tenacious, and commanding black journalist writing about police brutality and systemic racism. So when a tip about a deeply weird series of mutilated animals and inexplicably brutal murders, neither of which the police are investigating, leads her to a well-connected classics professor, the board uses her confrontation with the scholar (and their unmitigated prejudice, of course) as a justification for firing her. But there's something bigger, stranger, and more hellish going on in Detroit, and Abbott is unwittingly right in the middle. Kivel� beautifully renders the story in dynamic page layouts and compellingly fluid panel borders, filling the backgrounds with recognizable Detroit architecture, sharp and expressive characters, and grotesque body horror perfectly suited to the noir-tinged supernatural mystery. Jason Wordie's electric colors, particularly the garish purple and curly black shadows emanating from anything otherworldly, give stunning depth to the art. And amid Abbott's investigation into the paranormal occurrences, Ahmed weaves cutting commentary about racism, microaggressions, and gentrification, while snippets of Abbott's articles scattered throughout the pages provide evocative context for the political, cultural, and economic realities of Detroit in the '70s. Smart writing, gorgeous artwork, and a vibrant hero with captivating depth make this a series to watch.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)

October 25, 2021
Ahmed follows up an Eisner Award–winning run on Marvel’s Black Bolt series by bringing back his spooky-sexy urban horror-fantasy that merges newsreel details with Saturday morning fun and features a 1970s-era queer African American crusading reporter named Elena Abbott. Ahmed, a Detroit native, deconstructs his hometown’s complicated political and social history as he frames battles between the demons of the city’s past and hopeful warriors of the still-revolutionary period. A ghastly cabal broods over the city and wields deadly, body-snatching sorcery that can only be extinguished by the mystical glow emanating from Abbott, “the Lightbringer,” whose powers include shooting rays of light and summoning helpful spirit guides. The hotly anticipated election of the city’s first Black mayor (unnamed but assumed to be Coleman Young, who took office in 1974) gives way to intimidation from racists and organized crime. Meanwhile, lingering tensions simmer between Abbott and her lover and family, as well as the chauvinistic boss of her Black-owned newspaper. Kivelä stacks close-up mini-panels of heated conversations and renders spirited action, detailed landscapes, and visceral monsters (though some of the hairdos and fashion appear to reference later eras). Pulp and politics mix in this relatively straightforward supernatural tale; though it doesn’t elevate the genre, it satisfies its goals and does so with a refreshingly diverse cast.