Written by Michael Calero
Drawn by Piotr Kowalski
Published by Sumerian Comics/Massive Publishing
PREVIOUSLY: American Psycho #3
Since the first issue, this comic book has mostly focused on Donald Kimble’s story set in 1987, during the events of the film (and the book, but it’s mostly inspired by the film, right down to the characters being drawn to resemble the actors who played them), with only the last 3rd or so of each issue showing the story of Luis and Coutney’s daughter Charlene set in 2011. But last issue ended with the big plot twist, the revelation that even though Louis raised her, her biological father is Patrick Bateman, who has spent the past 24 years in a mental institution.
WHOA.
Well, once again, the issue begins in 1987, and we get our first “sequel” to the film. We see that after regaining his idolization of Patrick, after watching him kill Christy, the prostitute, with a chainsaw, Kimble decided that he needed to clean up after and cover for Patrick’s crimes. This culminates in him killed Jean, which is the first time he’s actually killed anyone. Patrick walks in right after, and Kimbell tells him why he did it. He says that he called the police and confessed to many of Patrick’s crimes, and then he walks out to get arrested. His arrest was major news, and he would go on to be remembered as an infamous serial killer, like Ted Bundy or Richard Ramirez, the Nightstalker.
In 2011, having been told of her true parentage, Charlene Carruthers goes to visit Patrick at the mental institution that he’s been in since 1987. It’s not what she expected; it is a luxurious facility that looks more like a report. Charlene walked past a swimming pool and a class of patients performing yoga to meet Patrick, who was lounging in a chair while smoking a cigar. He didn’t know of Charlene’s existence, but accepts her story that she’s his daughter pretty quickly.
While Patrick doesn’t tell her exactly why he’s in that facility, we learn that after what happened to Jean, the guilt of his actions made him no longer want to be in the world. He tried to kill himself but failed (noting the irony that he was able to kill so many others), so instead, he voluntarily checked himself into that place.
Charlene tells Patrick about the blackouts and murderous impulses she’s been having lately, hoping he can give her some insight into why that’s happening to her. That’s when we get one last plot twist that finally connects the two storylines in the miniseries.
Well, this issue has some big revelations, which make it worth reading. Michael Calera excels at compelling internal and external dialog, while Piotr Kowalski’s art remains “okay.” Storywise, I’ll admit to having a bit or trouble accepting that Patrick Bateman would have voluntarily checked himself into a mental institution (although, if he did, it certainly would be that kind of 5-star facility for wealthy patients), but how was he able to control his dark urges for 24 years? I don’t see that being possible at least not without him being heavily medicated the entire time.
Still, I’m intrigued enough to want to see how this miniseries concludes in the next issue.
iBLOGalot 