Faker

Faker
By: Mike Carey
Illustrated by: Jock
Paperback: 160 pages
Publisher: Vertigo
Language: English
March 2008, $9.99
Genre: Comic/Graphic Novel

Amateur extortionist Jessie Kidby, sports scholar Paul Saknussen, Yvonne Latimer (will hack for food), and sexual plaything Marky Sales have almost nothing in common - except that they all share the same house, went to the same insane party and puked up their insides. And the next morning there are holes in their memories that they just can't explain, but fortunately, their friend Nick Philo is there to comfort them all.

Except Nick has a problem of his own. His memory is crystal clear, but no one outside of his small circle of friends has any recollection that he actually exists. As the group search for the truth about Nick and themselves, they're led into a complicated game of cat and mouse through the wilds of Northern Minnesota. And in the dead cold of an unforgiving winter's night, there's a lot more at stake than life and death... because one of them may never have been alive in the first place...

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Mike Carey’s name made me pick it up, but the story intrigued me enough to buy it. I think one of the reasons I like Mike Carey is that in his world’s there are no sunshine and rainbows. There is always this edge to everything he writes even when there are good things happening.

All four of the main characters in Faker are damaged goods. They each have secrets. Jessie uses her body to blackmail others to get what she wants, Marky is everyone’s sexual plaything, Yvonne will hack for food and Sack has some big insecurities. And then there is Nick. His secret is that after a night of partying he ceases to exist to anyone outside of the trio of his friends. Then again, maybe he never existed in the first place. It’s a great story, chilling at times and bizarre in others. Memory is a strange and powerful thing. What would you do if you best memories came to life? What about those memories you try every day to forget? And can you really lie, cheat, and fake your way into anything?

The art was great, matching the pace and tone of the narrative. It’s dark. It’s disorienting and without giving too much away I also thought it was very good. In fact it would make a great little Masters of Horror/Outer Limits type of story. Is it is his best? No, but I liked it because it was different. It’s a strange little story, but strange in a completely good way.

3 out of 4 happy bibliosnark bookmarks

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