This comic just blew wide open for me. I think I can pinpoint it to an exact moment where I could see it all fall apart for Charlie. So far, he has been holding it together... well for the most part. To me though, Charlie just needs a little push. He already hasn’t been writing his own scripts, he has been investigating a man in glasses that could actually have nothing to do with Val’s death, and now he is losing his only friend. And then in true style of Ed Brubaker, nothing slows down in issue #6. Charlie, from an outside perspective, is losing his mind. His whole character is slowly being pushed. Maybe pushed to insanity, maybe pushed to suicide, maybe pushed into a positive light and leaving Hollywood behind. I don’t know. The first push, which I will end with as well, is Gil. Charlie is still mad at Gil for not showing up to write and essentially getting involved with the wrong people. But Charlie has no say in anything. Yes, Gil doesn’t mind being used because his work is getting out there, but Charlie gets it all. He gets the parties, he gets the girls, he gets the recognition. Without Gil, what is Charlie?

The other pushes, of course, consist of ladies. Dottie and Maya, but especially Maya. You need to read it to see it, but Charlie turns for me with her. I wanted him to be respectful so I keep giving Charlie the benefit of the doubt. I had a small amount of hope, but now after this issue, there is no hope. This is probably the most unclear why I have this sudden switch. Maya has something to do with it, but then again so does everything else. Brubaker makes you have strong feelings for his characters. You get involved and like anything else sometimes your hatred comes from nothing or just a feeling.

So yeah, I think Charlie has something to do with Val’s death. I am throwing it out there for all to read. Charlie is more involved and probably blocked it out or would rather find blame on someone else since Charlie can’t live without bouncing off of other characters. He doesn’t see things the way others do.

Another push comes from this man with the glasses. Charlie is desperate to find this dude and thinks he is the center of it all. Why he thinks this...I don’t know. Again, he is shoving the blame for me. So this would all make sense to what I just said above.

On top of it all, Gil is doing some writing on his own. I could be the only fan who loves Gil, but so be it. This dude seems to be the most put together... which is sad really. But anyway, the plot movement Gil creates in this issue will be a huge step for the future of the comic. We don’t know all the ends and outs, but I say go Gil!

It is amazing that this story just keeps getting better and better. I haven’t read a filler issue yet. The characters keep moving the plot and the plot keeps moving the characters. Neither shadows over the other and that’s why this comic remains to be great.

Score: 4/5

The Fade Out #6 Writer: Ed Brubaker Artist: Sean Phillips Colorist: Elizabeth Breitweiser Publisher: Image Comics Price: 3.50 Release Date: 5/20/2015 Format: Ongoing; Print, Digital