Hard Time: 50 to Life

Brutal, bleak, despairing, filled with real horror ... these words come to mind as I survey this `comic' book about an innocent 15 year old boy's life sentence in the grimmest of penal institutions. Other images also come to mind. For here is a searing indictment of contemporary `justice' and the prison system. Here is acute commentary on themes such as religious fundamentalism, ethnic hatred, social stratification, among other elements of contemporary society. Here too, is compassion for the oppressed. And here also, for a comic book, is an amazing amount of vivid characterisation and acute understanding of human psychology. In the world of the American comic book, this is another masterpiece by Steve Gerber, author of Howard the Duck and Nevada (which I've also reviewed). Brian Hurtt's artistry also effectively and beautifully illustrates Gerber's vision. Still, be warned - the vision here is very, very dark. In the prison milieu Gerber creates is a portrait - stunningly realised - of one particular kind of microcosmic human `community' among the millions of different kinds of human communities that constitute our world in toto. There are indeed many, many worlds within the World. There are worlds like that of Hard Time, especially deprived of the ozone of love and hope. Such worlds of human activity exist in abundance, in the prisons, in the mafia, in cults of evil... It is salutary never to forget this. And Gerber's penetrating writing can serve to awaken our hearts to the fact of this matter. On the other hand, it is also salutary to have hope. Though human beings are deeply dysfunctional and broken everywhere -in more traditional language `fallen' - there are also countless communities in the world, in which there is far, far more aspiration to the firmament. That is to say, as Oscar Wilde said, `We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars'. Some communities, be they loving families, religious houses, idealistic societies and so on, are still in the gutter, but possess amazing depths of commitment towards reaching for the stars of hope and charity, and integrating them in daily life. I am sorry to say, I am sorry to say indeed that Steve Gerber, who emerges as a very human, very flesh and blood figure with real tenderness of feeling beneath layers of cynicism, this same Steve Gerber seems to have lost sight of human communities oriented to the stars, seems to be caught by worlds of loveless despair ... and writes - brilliantly - according to what he sees. But there are other worlds out there. There are other worlds out there. Still for those of us fortunate enough to encounter worlds committed to the stars, while ever in the gutter, Hard Time can have a most salutary effect. It can serve to remind us never to be complacent, but to remember the horror that prevails - to greater and lesser degrees - everywhere. Hard Time enjoins us to remember the horror ... and thus the need for Ora et Labora.

Hard Time was launched as part of a new comic line under DC comics, the Focus imprint. It was one of three books when it was released, now it's the only one left. There's a reason for that, this book is incredible. It's Oz meets Superman, Oz meets My So Called Life, well, actually, any comparisson is going to go to Oz because this is the only prison drama currently in comics. The main character is Ethan Harrow, a 15 year old kid who is serving 50 to life after taking part in a school shooting. The story follows him in a maximum security prison, from his time in his cell with his cell-mate Curly, to dealing with Swift and the Aryan's, and even the crazed preacher Gantry. Steve Gerber is a master at developing his characters, as he juggles an ensemble cast evenly, no character is forgotten, and you learn to care about each and every person introduced. Brian Hurtt's art is perfect for this book as well, creating an appropriate feel for the enviroment, the fact that he inks his own pencils makes it that much better. Not sure what else I can say, it's not an easy book to explain, but it's an easy book to love. Give it a chance, I guaruntee that you'll fall in love with it before you even finish the first issue.