Bluesman Vol. 3

The final installment of this graphic novel trilogy leads up to an explosive and emotional climax. Guitar player Lem Taylor is left without the piano-playing Ironwood and is now on the run from the law and a racist mob. He seeks out Little Rock businessman J.L. Dougherty as his only hope for the future. The 80 pages read fast with only a few situations out of the way before the book's centerpiece, Lem's confrontation with his pursuers in the dark rainy swamps. The climax is grand and surprising, but fits the tone of his character. Callejo draws this world with thick lines and gray tones, continuing the dark feeling of blues clubs and rural Southern land lying under midnight skies. He's equally skilled at contemplative moments and visceral scenes of chase and violence. All the characters are expressive and deep. Lem's depiction benefits from this greatly, so you not only see his stress and suffering, but with only a few closeups, the pain behind the eyes is also clear. Bluesman mixes the mythic and dramatic with the nitty-gritty reality of the hard parts of life, just like a good blues song does. (Oct.)