Hinterkind #3 – Review

By: Ian Edginton (story), Francesco Trifogli (art), Cris Peter (colors)

The Story: If there’s one thing all can bond over, it’s the addictive qualities of daytime soaps.

The Review: There are few true victims in the conflicts between races.  Oh, there may be an a genuine dispute if you go back far enough, but at a certain point, no one can really claim to be on the high road anymore.  Whether one is the instigator or the one reacting in vengeance, both are doing wrong to the other, and for as long as the conflict continues, there are no people on the side of justice—only those who profit and those who don’t.

That’s pretty much the scenario we see between humanity and the Hinterkind, or most of them at least.  It’s unclear how many subscribe to the view Jon Hobb self-righteously proclaims to Prosper in this issue, that the Hinterkind simply let humanity do its own thing then “retreated into myth” as a consequence.  It’s impossible to believe the Hinterkind were as passive as all that, especially when so many of them seem so naturally inclined to prey on humans (“Eat you all up, an’ suck out your marrow!”  “Leave nothin’ but a rag, a bone and a hank of hair!”).  It’s much more likely that the more uncouth Hinterkind gave in to their impulses and mankind defended itself, with prejudice.

In one respect, Hinterkind sort of resembles Saga: it’s beside the point who threw the first stone at whom; all that matters is how the consequences affected all who came after.  This is where Jon truly stands to garner some sympathy, in contrast to the utterly tired sob-stories about Hinterkind-human tensions.  As a Sidhe (officially confirmed as elf-analogues, down to the pointy-ears) who chose to “go native” among humans, Jon is now considered an outcast, barred from sharing in his people’s return to dominance.

But this is an ordeal entirely personal to Jon; it’s not good cause to resent the people he used to pass amongst.  Prosper doesn’t make this obvious point,* nor does she confront how senseless it is for him to take his revenge on her and Angus, who clearly had nothing to do with whatever grievances he suffered.  Perhaps the predicament the entire group falls into will give them some perspective, since their captors are pretty indiscriminate in whom they imprison and incinerate.  Though resembling humans with patchwork skin, they refer to humans as “[m]ongrel bastards,” and have equal antipathy to certain members of the Hinterkind, at least those they can’t “use.”

The going-on’s of Prosper and Co. aren’t all that engaging, being as weakly developed as they are, but that is where almost all the issue’s action and interest lies.  Edginton’s choice to suddenly switch the story back over to Doc Monday, whom we’ve almost forgotten since his departure in the debut, is puzzling, mostly because the good doctor and his companions encounter exactly the same obstacle Prosper does.  At least Star and her band of Hinterkind are dredging up new parts to the plot, however last-minute and miniscule.

Trifogli’s art has its moments, specifically whenever he has a tight shot of a character looking straight out from the panel.  There, the detailing and expression reaches a degree that the rest of the issue slightly lacks.  All in all, though, the visuals are entirely serviceable to a Vertigo script, though not really distinctive on its own.  If Alberto Ponticelli went a little more mainstream, you might have a reasonable approximation of Trifogli’s art.

Conclusion: Too bland and plodding to really make the most of its interesting points.  Hinterkind is making itself ever worthier of landing on the Drop List.

Grade: C+

– Minhquan Nguyen

Some Musings: – Of course, Prosper isn’t the brightest bulb in the house, either.  Her reaction to the revelation that Jon is a proto-elf: “He looks more like Legolas than Dobby!  I thought elves had the pointy ears and eyebrows?”  But Legolas is an elf.