This is the second review from my Archaia haul from C2E2. (For more on that, see my review of Archaia’s The Killer.)
I’d call it a fair bet that Brian Churilla and Jeremy Shepherd, the creative behind The Engineer: Konstrukt, are big fans of Mike Mignola and Hellboy. It’s all over their work, from the art and design stylings to the irreverent humor that infuses the moody landscape of the story. And, like some many comic creators who pull heavy inspiration from Mignola, I’d guess they are tired of hearing about it. But you’ve got to call it like you see it.
That said, the art of The Engineer is fun stuff. While Churilla’s line work may take some obvious cues from Hellboy (and also perhaps from Eric Powell’s The Goon), it doesn’t wallow in that same shadowy minimalism. There’s some strong, dynamic layouts here. Crazed movement is rendered energetically, and expressions are amusing and varied. If anything, there’s that particular sense of playful fun to the action that’s usually seen in “all ages” titles from Marvel and DC. (At one point the protagonist even dons a suit that makes him look like Mister Freeze from the DC animated run…)
Shepherd, a veteran colorist a decade removed, returns to comics on Engineer. His work here displays a subtlety and color theory understanding you wouldn’t necessarily expect from someone who colored X-Men and Youngblood in the ’90s. The scenes are skillfully toned, with the right application of textures and sparse gradients.
The longer I stare at the combined efforts of Churilla and Shepherd on the page, though, the more the inking line-work and color remind me of Brian Hurtt’s star-making turn on Oni Press’ current hit The Sixth Gunn. (Especially when things get a bit grisly.)
Story-wise, here’s what the Archaia website has to say about The Engineer:
“An ancient sentient entity is feasting on the very fabric of space and time. Only one man can stop it: The Engineer.
“Utilizing a colossal pipe organ that enables pan-dimensional travel, The Engineer pursues the lost components of The Konstrukt, an archaic mechanism that imbues whoever possesses it with the ability to manipulate reality itself. The Engineer endeavors to restore The Konstrukt, using it to defeat the creature and undo the incalculable damage already done.”
The premise feels Kirby-esque with big cosmic conflict that plays out with very loose rules on smaller playing fields. The Engineer himself is a inter-dimensional pawn of the 3 Sisters; a new version of him is plucked from his reality every time this trio of cruel wraiths burn one of them out. A former Russian cosmonaut, he takes this new lot in life in fair stride – which is to say with a twisted sense of humor, reckless action and a unexplained obsession with chicken. (Which feels like one of those writer tricks designed to make the character really quirky, but feels forced. Or maybe it’s an inside joke. Either way, it was lost on me.) Things get pretty slap-happy within a few pages.
I bought the book because of the artwork. I read the hardcover in one sitting, but I found my attention wavering about halfway through. I had trouble maintaining any level of interest in the Engineer’s plight and the safety of his world. His robot assistant, Roland, has a bumbling endearing quality, but he was the only character I connected with. I did find myself rooting for the giant-bat enemy at one point, though.
Overall, I’d give a pass on The Engineer: Konstrukt because the story just didn’t pay off for me. Which is a shame, because I enjoyed the art so much. I have no plans to buy another volume of this series, but I would take a chance on a different book from this creative team.
Title: The Engineer: Konstrukt
Story: Brian Churilla and Jeremy Shepherd
Art: Brian Churilla
Publisher: Archaia
Rating: All Ages
Price: $9.95
ISBN: 978-1-932386-54-7