Home Free #1: Out of the Fog is a comic written by John Kratky with art by Michelle Lodge. Two women randomly meet in a pub and this chance encounter becomes pivotal in both their lives. What we have here is a story about how we let our pasts define us, inner strength, and freedom. We have two protagonists here who have both lived rough lives. The first is Sara, a hard woman with drifter vibes who is determined to be a Good Samaritan. Our second lead is Emmy, a prostitute low on gumption who was promised things she’ll never get. The plot is focused on the introspective conversations these characters have while also finding a way for Emmy to have a new chance at life. There is also a local pimp who won’t be very happy with this new development. This isn’t an action heavy story but it does have its moments. The first half of this comic is centered around talking while the latter half gets a bit more intense. The dialogue from Sara is a bit more poetic than Emmy you should understand it all. There are a couple wordy pages but the way Sara talks might slow your reading so it may seem a bit longer. This is strong debut comic as we get a good grasp of the characters and what will/is driving them.
This comic is in black-and-white and has a sort of gloomy atmosphere. This comic takes place mainly in a pub and a hotel you’d rather not stop at. The pub looks niche and has items in it that suggest it has been open since at least the 60’s. The expressions are done well here as our two leads both attempt to rein in their emotions but Emmy isn’t as good at maintaining that kind of demeanor. The faces are nicely detailed with a focus on the cheeks and eyes. The statements they make are sold to us by the way they look. The action here is very light but you will see some gunplay. The outfits look like something you’d see nowadays.
“Is this worth reading?”
Yes.
“Would I like this?”
If you like comics starring women with ladies that feature stories dealing with darker subject matter with a somber tone this is for you.
“What would this comic’s film rating be?”
R. For the subject matter and violence.
“Could I get a quote from the comic?”
“We don’t have to like the people that name us, just the names.”
Physical Link: https://coffeetimecomix.gumroad.com/l/hf1print
Digital Link: https://coffeetimecomix.gumroad.com/l/hf1
Kickstarter Link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/michellelodge/home-free-1-of-5-a-modern-noir-tale/description
***IN-DEPTH COMIC STATS BELOW***
Probably Contains Spoilers
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Actual Pages(not counting covers and credits): 24
Violent Pages: 5, for 21% of the comic
Sexy Pages: 0, for 0% of the comic
**The levels below aren’t necessarily maintained throughout the whole comic, but they were definitely reached**
Violence Level – 2
“Wasn’t no tussling at all.”
“Sometimes you gotta hit somebody.”
“I’m getting charged with how many counts of assault?”
“This was a tournament arc.”
“All my life I had to fight.”
Gore Level – 2
“The only thing leaking out your face is tears.”
“Looks like somebody spilled some ketchup.”
“Might need to soak that up with a bath towel.”
“That isn’t supposed to be outside the body.”
“This is a slaughterhouse.”
Death Level – 2
“And everybody lived happily ever after.”
“We might have gone to a couple funerals.”
“It just LOOKS like a serial killer was here.”
“Yeah this was a tragedy.”
“Think Gettysburg.”
Porn Level – 1
“Everybody kept their clothes on.”
“I guess it was too hot for a bra.”
“Sometimes you got to let everything air out.”
“This is like late night Cinemax in the early 2000’s.”
“Oh. This is porn.”
