Damn, it’s been awhile since The Fade Out. Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips have been some busy men recently. So all this waiting time made me nervous jumping back into this aggressive plotline. I didn’t want to get lost. Then I realized something; this is Brubaker and Phillips, of course I may get a tad lost, but they always know to reel you in and make perfect sense of a fucked up situation. So I dove right in. Gil is a pretty big star in this month’s issue, and I couldn’t be happier. Something about Gil makes him the most intriguing character. Maybe it is his blacklisted name or maybe it is the fact that he writes for Charlie and doesn’t seem to mind that he gets the credit... or maybe it is his drunken life choices that makes you think this dude has way more problems than anyone else. Either way or all of these ways combined make him an ideal side character.

Also I just wasn’t expecting a story that centered on Gil. He is in deep trouble. It all revolves around Al Kamp, just ew btw, and a body guard who keeps these Hollywood freaks in check. After #4, I thought a lot of time would be spent on the guy with the glasses. We are so involved with Charlie so I was not expecting a switch. But that is what makes Brubaker so great. I didn’t miss Charlie and I didn’t care, for a moment, who this man in the glasses was. I got involved in a completely different character and a completely different story, although I am sure they intertwine in the end. I don’t get lost with the layers, instead I thrive in the layers. That’s what makes Brubaker so much fun to take in.

Clearly, we don’t focus all on Gil because, as said above, that would be too simple for the creative team to just give us one story. We jump to Charlie as well but not for long. He takes us down memory lane, because the death of Val is still haunting this man. And then again to the present with him and Maya. These two mirror each other. I hadn’t noticed it until this issue, but it is obvious to any reader with this issue. Although we don’t know why they mirror each other quite yet. I wouldn’t put it past Charlie to just be so messed up that he is seeing Val in Maya though.

I think an old shooting location with the same old shit going on; rewrites, sex, drugs, and all that is showing a lot of mirroring. It is a vicious cycle and I believe one the characters even mentions this cycle, but for the readers, this cycle is just as exciting as the last time. A lot of questions get brought up, a lot of minded jamming is going on, and of course there is a lot of evil. So jump on with this latest instalment and you won’t miss a beat.

Score: 4/5

The Fade Out #5 Writer: Ed Brubaker Artist: Sean Phillips Colorist: Elizabeth Breitweiser Publisher: Image Comics Price: $3.50 Release Date: 4/15/15 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital