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ME AND THE DEVIL BLUES: THE UNREAL LIFE OF ROBERT JOHNSON VOL. 2 |
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Reviews
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Thursday, 25 June 2009 |
 | | ▪ | RELEASED BY: | | DEL REY | | | ▪ | AUTHOR / ART: | | AKIRA HIRAMOTO | | | ▪ | FORMAT: | | ENGLISH / B&W | | | ▪ | PAGES: | | 564 | | | ▪ | RATING: | | OT | | | ▪ | RELEASE DATE: | | 12/30/2008 | | | ▪ | REVIEW DATE: | | 06/25/2009 | | | ▪ | REVIEWED BY: | | HOLLY ELLINGWOOD |
The unreal life of Robert Johnson is a captivating weave of fiction, legend and fact. In the second volume RJ is thrown into jail for a murder he did not commit. The town however is not your ordinary town, with oppressively strict rules and its own judge, jury and executioner. More goes on than meets the eye. RJ is sure to be lynched. Clyde however, treated as a guest, stumbles upon a secret that forces the bad man to make a choice between RJ’s life and that of an unknown child. Me and the Devil Blues is enthralling storytelling at its best. It’s equal parts horror and suspense mixed in with the supernatural. The grisly findings that Clyde inadvertently discovers put a new nightmare into the story. The sheer brutality of the mob justice the town takes pride in is yet another dimension of human depravity and evil. But one of the most curious parts in this hefty manga is the conversation between RJ and the mysterious Ike. Just who or what is Ike really? Is he the devil? A ghost? Or something else entirely? Their conversation is illuminating yet offers new riddles. The one thing that is certain is that for RJ, the nightmare has only begun. Although Clyde and RJ manage to skip out of the prison, getting safely past the townsfolk is another matter. In the woods they uncover yet another diabolical aspect to the town’s leader, Stanley McDonald. Knowing the secrets of such an evil madman however is sure to have him lust after their deaths and stop at nothing to silence them permanently. Their attempt at escape immediately turns bloody. The second volume ends with a juke joint, a music challenge, and lives at stake, let alone RJ’s soul.
IN SUMMARY:
If you haven’t picked up Me and the Devi Blues yet, what are you waiting for? It is incredible mature storytelling that explores the descent of a real life historical figure that is rooted in the Blues, the lifeblood of rock and roll, in this fictionalized account of what happened during those months Robert Johnson went missing followed by his drifting from place to place until his untimely death. The devil, the blues, and horrors beyond imagining ravage the soul in the latest volume. |