Bermejo renders this era in black-and-white, mimicking the look of the television sets that would have recently become staples of the American living room during this era and serving as somewhat obvious symbolism for the fight over integration. During that decade, Thacker, a Black man, has lived in pre-desegregation America, marrying and having a child. While Thacker struggles to carry the weight of history, as well as his knowledge of events in the future, Ferris appears to have embraced the idea that the universe is terminally ill and destruction is the only cure.įor 10 years, Thacker has paused his and Ferris' duel by keeping his rival a prisoner in his basement. While the unusual nature of their connection remains somewhat obscured, both seem representative of different attitudes toward the slow pace and, at times, repetitive nature of historical events, though neither is optimistic.

A Vicious Circle #1 by writer Mattson Tomlin and artist Lee Bermejo, published by Boom Studios, drops readers into the ongoing battle between two time-traveling assassins, Shawn Thacker and Ferris, as it picks up once again following a 10-year respite.

Vicious circle review