Jeff Smith is perhaps best known for his comic book series Bone. That series garnered Smith ten Eisner Awards and eleven Harvey Awards. It’s a story that I’ve read and introduced to all three of my children as they’ve reached the age to appreciate it—around eight years old in my experience. Where that series is comedic high fantasy, Jeff Smith’s RASL is anything but. Aimed at a mature audience, RASL is a mix of science fiction and noir. It’s gritty and it’s violent. It’s hard-boiled like you’d expect in a noir story. That means drinking, sex, and underdeveloped, one-dimensional female characters. Again, it’s noir. It’s probably not for your 8-year-olds.
Some comic fans are devoted to their favorite characters. I’m partial to Batman myself. Not because of the typical “he’s just a normal guy with cool gadgets” reasons. But more because I identify with his sometimes crippling depression. Other fans love certain artists and follow their work. I’m more of a fan of the writers. The artwork in comics is always just an added bonus for me. Fortunately, Jeff Smith can write and draw. My hardcover edition of RASL includes color by Steve Hamaker that wasn’t present in previous versions of this comic. While I think the color is beautiful, I wonder if the sharp contrast of just blacks and whites would’ve made for a better experience for a story of this genre.
Speaking of writing. I don’t exactly turn to comics looking for philosophical notions to carry with me, but there was one part that struck me in “Annie” (Part II of Act One):
However, the rest follows a traditional noir style. That’s neither a complaint nor a criticism.
Jeff Smith’s RASL, The Story
*no spoilers*
RASL (real name Robert Johnson) is a former military scientist who discovers a dimensional rift that gives him the ability to travel between parallel worlds. He uses this ability to “drift” the way any good scientist would, to become an art thief and bed as many women as he can, and consuming insane amounts of alcohol to recover from the drifting and ass-kickings he endures. However, things change for the titular character once he realizes that a shadowy organization is pursuing him. They’re after the coveted lost journals of Nikola Tesla that RASL has in his possession. Unsure of where RASL has secreted the journals, his pursuers must stay in hot pursuit of his movements to force him to surrender them. One tactic they use is to murder the women he calls on regularly. When he meets Uma in one world he is certain it is his beloved Maya. Maya was also a scientist and the wife of RASL’s best friend, fellow scientist Dr. Miles Riley. Maya and RASL were having an affair behind Riley’s back. Both Maya and Riley are presumed dead for much of the story despite Maya’s body not being recovered. The compound where they all work exploded. RASL then spends his time trying to keep himself, and his favorite girlfriend, alive and the journals safe.
Is RASL good?
Simply put, yes. It’s good. But I think it could’ve been great. RASL is not the typical antagonist. He’s definitely more of an antihero (which I like) and while I think he comes around in the end, I’m not sure if he fully redeems himself. The women don’t get enough development. They are more like stand-ins to receive brutal deaths to goad our (anti)hero into action. But we’re never invested in them so their deaths feel more gratuitous than like a loss. The ending doesn’t exactly answer any questions. None of any consequence anyway. The story just ends. Nevertheless, Jeff Smith’s RASL is a nice shift from his earlier work in Bone and he proves that he can write (and draw) to different audiences with deftness. Pick up a copy when you can. It’s also available in Kindle format which is what I’d suggest unless you’re a collector. After all, Mr. Smith personalized mine with a sketch when I met him in Charlotte once.
