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Deep Cuts #1
- Writer:
- Kyle Higgins, Joe Clark
- Artist:
- Danilo Beyruth
- Letterer:
- Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
- Cover Artist:
- Chris Brunner, Rico Renzi
- Publisher:
- Image Comics
- Price:
- $5.99
- Release Date:
- 2023-04-27
- Colorist:
- Igor Monti
Image Comics presents Deep Cuts #1, the first in a six-part series of self-contained one-shot stories chronicling the life and times of jazz in America. Written by Kyle Higgins and Joe Clark, illustrated by Danilo Beyruth, with colors by Igor Monti and letters by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, each issue is inspired by a different era of jazz music across six decades of rich history. This comic spans a stunning sixty pages, complete with sheet music in the back written in concert with the story by vibraphone virtuoso Thaddeus Tukes.
Deep Cuts #1 opens in April of 1917, with Charlie Stewart on the streets of New Orleans searching for one particular jazz band amongst many. Despite the best efforts of the doorman, Charlie weasels his way into the good graces of Jack Cartier, the finest cornet player on the cusp of the golden age of jazz, and lands a gig with the band -- just not exactly the one he was expecting. From there, Charlie makes his first moves onto the circuit, with the potential for a big break or massive collapse lurking around every corner.
Higgins and Clark strike absolute gold with the writing of Deep Cuts #1, doing impressive work to avoid being eclipsed by the stunning visual elements of the comic. Their characters are vibrant and immediate, filled with flaws and aspirations, while still feeling very rooted in their time. Charlie and Jack, in particular, play off each other wonderfully as foils, creating a complex dynamic that speaks to the central themes of the story: pitching careerism against naivety, technical skill versus the sublime, and ego as opposed to authenticity. Overall, the comic is very well-paced, animated by a sense of realism and progression that forms a beautiful coming-of-age story, striking to the heart of the insecurity and euphoria of being a young musician.
Deep Cuts #1 would still be an engaging book without a lick of dialogue in it, thanks to the incredible Beyruth's incredible art. His delicate lines and hatching craft a world that is simultaneously naturalistic and stylized with a unique flair. Beyruth demonstrates an impressive sense of anatomy and proportions, adding a huge punch to each writing beat with his profoundly emotive characters. The art also grapples perspicaciously with the contradictions inherent in telling a visual story about music, melting into gorgeous impressionistic moments that transcend into pure joy. The panel design is also praiseworthy, doing excellent work to capture the spirit and bustle of New Orleans and the stress and toil of trying to eke out a life there in the early 20th century.
Monti’s colors elevate the art and tone of Deep Cuts #1, adding stunning depth and richness to every page. Brimming with atmosphere, Monti creates a striking contrast between the heady days and sultry nights, often using a wash that resembles the airy gradient of watercolors, cementing the comic’s vintage feel. The incredible mastery of light and shadows is also central to this effect, particularly in the use of silhouettes, adding a moody anonymity to the New Orleans twilight. Otsmane-Elhaou’s letters are similarly inspired in their novel style, much less flat and linear than mainstream comic lettering, resembling handwriting in their whorls and undulation. These stylistic choices bolster the old-world charm of the comic without sacrificing any functionality, using emboldening to add a great sense of emphasis and rhythm to the dialogue.
Deep Cuts #1 does more than describe the virtuosity of its musicians; it channels it and claims it, forging a gorgeous, mellifluous, one-of-a-kind comic with visuals and writing striking a stunning harmony that rings of hope and despair. An absolute triumph of the medium, this story of a young, struggling artist is both situated yet transcendent, raw yet sensitive, and wise yet bereft of moralism. Deep Cuts #1 exquisitely transmutes the elation, spontaneity, and expression of jazz music into a phenomenal synesthetic experience that will have any reader itching to throw on their grandpa’s best records and dissolve into the marvelous heyday of early jazz.