Violent Messiahs
Encyclopedia
American comic book
An American comic book is a small magazine originating in the United States and containing a narrative in the form of comics. Since 1975 the dimensions have standardized at 6 5/8" x 10 ¼" , down from 6 ¾" x 10 ¼" in the Silver Age, although larger formats appeared in the past...
series created by Joshua Dysart
Joshua Dysart
Joshua Dysart is an Eisner Award-nominated, New York Times Best Selling American comic book writer known for dark themes, humanist horror and a fascination with the roots of violence...
and William O'Neill
William O'Neill
William O'Neill or Bill O'Neill may refer to:*Bill O'Neill , baseball player*Bill O'Neill , professional ten-pin bowler*Bill O'Neill , News Corporation executive...
and published by Image Comics
Image Comics
Image Comics is a United States comic book publisher. It was founded in 1992 by high-profile illustrators as a venue where creators could publish their material without giving up the copyrights to the characters they created, as creator-owned properties. It was immediately successful, and remains...
. The comic takes place in a fictional city known as Rankor Island, and focused on the Rankor PD's attempts to bring in Rankor's vigilantes. The most prominent characters are Lt. Cheri Major and Detective Ernest Houston, the two cops leading the investigations, Family Man, a serial killer who attacks bad parents, and Citizen Pain, a giant, dark figure who was the most prominent vigilante in Rankor (and became the face of VM).
Works of the Series
The original black and white comic was drawn by O'Neill, written by Dysart and published by Hurricane Press in 1997. Only one issue, of what was to be a 3-issue story arc, hit the shelves, and the second issue was scrapped by Jan Utstein, Editor-in-Chief. Years later, Image Comics picked up the rights to the series, and the original issue was remade, this time with art by Tone RodriguezTone Rodriguez
Tone Rodriguez is an American comic book artist and writer. Rodriguez is most notably known for his work as a primary artist at Bongo Comics, which was co-founded by The Simpsons and Futurama creator Matt Groening, and fellow artist Bill Morrison.-Other work:In addition to comics, Rodriguez has...
, and color by Travis Smith
Travis Smith
Travis Smith is the name of:* Travis Smith , fictional character in the TV series Oz* Travis Smith , ex drummer of Trivium* Travis Smith , former Major League Baseball player* Travis Smith , heavy metal graphic artist...
. Joshua Dysart expanded the script into an 8-issue arc.
In 2001 Image published GENESIS. This black and white trade paperback (TPB
TPB
-Media:*The Panic Broadcast* The Pirate Bay, a widely popular and controversial Bittorrent indexer* The Princess Bride, a 1973 novel written by William Goldman* The Princess Bride , a 1987 film based on the 1973 novel...
) contains a prologue to the first story arc; the original O'Neill comic; pages from his unpublished second issue; and clips from Rodriguez's sketchbook. The prologue story originally released as Wizard Magazine's 1/2 issue quickly touches on the four main players of Book Of Job. It begins with the explanation of how Cheri came to be transferred from NYPD to heading the Rankor Island Violent Messiah Taskforce, as well as the origin of her "badass mother fucker hat". From there it segues to Ernest's first interaction with Family Man, and how despite his bungling of the situation he is promoted against his will to homicide and given the case. Finally Job is shown and what can be inferred as the moment he became aware of Cheri is revealed. This section reprints Tone's penciled pages, no ink, no color.
BOOK OF JOB, a collection of the first story arc, issues 1-8, was published in 2002. The initial serials were published beginning in 2000. The story opens and quickly introduces the four protagonists before. Throughout the story arc they are slowly developed and fleshed out, particularly Cheri and Job who seem to be standard stereotypes when the story begins but have been expanded beyond that by the end. As the story progresses it turns into a melange of mystery, horror, romance, superhero/scifi, and conspiracy.
Cheri is heading the Violent Messiahs vigilante taskforce for the Rankor Island Police (R.I.P) and is charged with bringing in the serial killer dubbed Citizen Pain by the media. Ernest Huston is the detective charged with bringing in the Family Man. Their investigations collide and as they begin to look deeper the reader finds that not only are the killers they hunt connected but the police officers are being pulled into a far reaching conspiracy.
Poetry is a major theme within the book. Both Job and Jeremiah (Citizen Pain and Family Man respectively) either quote or write it in the story and directly mention that it was important in their upbringing.
LAMENTING PAIN, the second story arc (4 issues) follows up by featuring the characters living in the aftermath of the original series. The story focuses on Lt. Cheri Major as she tracks down a new masked vigilante, named Scalpel, while battling her own inner demons. The fetish scene is featured prominently throughout the work just as poetry was in the first. The events of Lamenting Pain begin one month after Book of Job. Both Cheri and Huston have been suspended and are under investigation due to the events of the previous story. Cheri is undergoing mandatory psychological counseling and Huston has not left his apartment in three weeks. Cheri is asked to take her badge back in order to find out about Scalpel who leaves her name carved on the bodies of her victims. More of Cheri's backstory is revealed and both officers once again face the conspiracy introduced in the first story-arc.
VIOLENT MESSIAHS: THE BOOK OF JOB was re-released by IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing, also known as Idea + Design Works, LLC and IDW, is an American publisher of comic books and comic strip collections. The company was founded in 1999 and has been awarded the title "Publisher of the Year Under 5% Market Share" for the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 by Diamond Comic...
in 2008. A VM: LAMENTING PAIN trade paperback (TPB
TPB
-Media:*The Panic Broadcast* The Pirate Bay, a widely popular and controversial Bittorrent indexer* The Princess Bride, a 1973 novel written by William Goldman* The Princess Bride , a 1987 film based on the 1973 novel...
) was also published by IDW in February 2009. Originally published as VIOLENT MESSIAHS issues #9–12, this collection features the complete second story arc, the rare Wizard Exclusive Prequel, a sketchbook of designs, and a brand new nine-page Citizen Pain story.
Critical reception
Book of Job has been nominated for three awards the Harvey AwardHarvey Award
The Harvey Awards, named for writer-artist Harvey Kurtzman and founded by Gary Groth, President of the publisher Fantagraphics, are given for achievement in comic books. The Harveys were created as part of a successor to the Kirby Awards which were discontinued after 1987.The Harvey Awards are...
, the Wizard Fan Award, and the Eisner's Russ Manning Award
Russ Manning Award
The Russ Manning Most Promising Newcomer Award is an American award presented to a comic book artist whose first professional work appeared within the previous two years. It was named after comic book artist Russ Manning...
.
Popular culture
In season two episode thirteen of the TV show 9021090210 (TV series)
90210 is an American teen drama television series developed by Rob Thomas, Jeff Judah and Gabe Sachs, and the fourth series in the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise created by Darren Star. 90210 is the first series produced by CBS Productions under the company's re-launch, but is now produced by CBS...
, Ivy reads an issue of Violent Messiahs during the scene where Naomi comes along to give her her present. Dixon is also reading #2 Lamenting Pain in episode twenty of season two.