J. M. DeMatteis is a rarity in the comics world. Even when writing traditional superheroes for the Big Two (DC & Marvel), he brings his distinctive worldview & gift of language to the work, adding a great deal of depth while always telling an entertaining tale. But it's in his creator-owned work that he truly shines -- and that was never more obvious than in this fine graphic novel, which attempts (and succeeds) in telling a positive story that's never mawkish, cheaply sentimental, or superficially glib.

The story? Joshua Rose, a middle-aged man, has been hospitalized with a massive stroke. While he seems an unmoving, unresponsive shell to the outer world, his soul has been set free to roam the world of human thoughts & feelings ... and in that journey, he continually encounters a radiant, compassionate figure -- a woman? a goddess? -- who touches the lives of those in despair, those caught in the self-made limbo of their lives, those seeking both meaning & love in a seemingly chaotic, uncaring universe. He names her Mercy, and is both drawn to her & filled with a strange loathing, a hatred, convinced that she's offering a lie instead of genuine hope.

No need to go into plot details -- what matters here is the flow of language, the unpeeling of layer upon layer of protective cynical armor to find the still-innocent spirit hungering for the comforting, inspiring touch of the divine. This is accomplished with both a literate, poetic script that verges on stream-of-consciousness without ever going adrift, and the gorgeous painted art of Paul Johnson, which combines many fine-art techniques to present the emotional complexity of the characters.

"Mercy" was originally published in the early 1990s as part of DC's Vertigo line, but has been out of print ever since & unjustly forgotten. But now Dover Books has launched a graphic novel line that reprints just such material -- and more! This edition of "Mercy" includes a discussion between writer & artist, a recollection by the original editor, page upon page of preliminary art, script & story proposal, promotional art -- the equivalent of a DVD deluxe edition with all the extras you could want. So even if you already have the original (as I do), this new edition is well worth owning.

Still, as enjoyable as the extras are, it's the original story that remains the treasure here. The comics world is inundated with grim, dark, supposedly edgy stories filled with violence, bloodshed, mutilation & death, all under the banner of "mature comics" -- but a book like "Mercy" reminds the reader that true maturity is far more likely to be found in compassion, understanding, connection. DeMatteis isn't offering empty sugar-coating, either -- he understands very well that the world can be a dark, violent place, far more so than the writers of those grim & dark superhero stories that pander to what they depict -- but he also understands that there's much more to being human than endless despair & fear. If there's a message here, it's that we ourselves make so much of the misery we inflict upon ourselves & then fear to let go of it -- but if we do, if we take the chance on growing beyond it, there's a wondrous universe waiting for us -- most highly recommended!

I love the story line and the artwork is astoudning, my only criticism is that the ending felt very abrut and rushed and and was not satisfying in terms of a resolution and the book would have benefitted from about another 10 pages.

When I first picked this book up, I thought that it was a comic book. After I flipped through it, I thought that it was an art book. After I sat down and read it, I knew that it was a holy book.
This is the vision of a 54-year-old businessman hooked up to life support after suffering a stroke at the office. He knows that he is dieing, he can look down at his body connected to the machines, but he doesn't care. He is ready to just fade away into limbo. The world no longer holds any attraction for him, for as he states, it was more likely vomited up by the devil, than created by any God. For our hero has never met a man who didn't have a lie on his lips- and pain in his heart. He had never seen a day pass when human suffering didn't scream at him from every corner of the world. It was all meaningless, all for nothing- and he just wanted to turn his back on the whole mess and go.
And then with the sight that only comes to the dieing and the dead he saw HER. As his vision slowly expanded to encompass the world he saw her in her multitude of forms. Wherever there were those that were desperate, hopeless, helpless- She was there. Wherever demons and ghosts threatened the sanity and faith of the living, She was there. As his vision began to roam time itself he saw her descend into the corrupt matrix of matter, of flesh. She was the transcendent principle emanated from the hub of the wheel of eternity- that mankind might never be alone. She was the connection by which the heart might be reunited with what lay beyond that hub. She was known by many names in many lands, but the name that came to his mind was- Mercy.

This story is an extremely in-depth look at the human soul, the quality of mercy, and the thing that is redemption. It is an amazingly well written story, as the writer is John Marc Dematteis, one of the best writers in the industry, comic book or non. THe art is amazing, but the story could have held its own as a short story without the art. The art enhances the story, but Dematteis' work requires no assistant. The only reason I don't give this story 5 stars is that its too hard to understand/follow at times.