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It’s a shame "Hexy" was never collected in the trade paperbacks. Why wasn’t it? Did Morrison/Vertigo just forget about it, or were there problems with continuity? I mean, if they could haphazardly place “We Are All Policemen” at the tail end of “Counting to None,” then they could’ve put this one anywhere, though most likely it would’ve fit best in “Say You Want a Revolution.” Morrison has Hexy listed right after the first 4 issues of Volume 1 of the Invisibles, on his website. Maybe that’s when it takes place? Hard to say, as King Mob mentions in it that the rest of his cell are out of the country. Maybe it’s a prologue to the series.
This was the only Invisibles story I didn’t have, and for years I wanted to get it. But due to the popularity of Preacher, “Absolute Vertigo,” was always going for high prices, due to it containing the first appearance of Preacher. Luckily prices have dropped, and I just got this one-shot for under $2 US. Not bad!
The story’s a mere 6 pages, with inky but detailed artwork from Duncan Fegredro. His art is pretty good, and would’ve fit in well with the artwork in Volume 1. It’s not as dynamic as Phil Jimenez’s, more along the lines of Yeowell or Jill Cramer. I like it better than both of theirs, though. The story itself has that offbeat charm characteristic of the early Invisibles issues.
For those who’ve never read Hexy, here’s a quick rundown: it opens with King Mob, in that way-cool Volume 1 pointy leather jacket of his, sitting on the floor of a dominatrix’s place. The dominatrix is named Joni, and KM has come to her because he’s been waylaid by a voodoo doll-type thing that’s hexed him. KM states that, since the rest of his cell is out of the country, he had to come to Joni, as she’s the only Invisible ally he knows who can help him.
Joni says the only way to beat the hex is to find a counter-sigil, but this sigil will be nigh-impossible to locate, as it would manifest itself in unusual ways, ie the flight patterns of birds. KM drives out into the countryside, looking for signs. While driving, he listens to a Brisith politician on TV (KM must be ahead of the times, as he apparently has a TV in his car). The politician is talking about a new chip that will monitor everyone, and states how the only people who should have anything to fear from this are criminals.
KM walks around in a Stonehenge-type place, trying to pick up signs. No luck. Miserable, he gets back in his car, and the politician is still talking. As he drives to London, KM (who narrates the story) begins to rerun the politician’s comments in a stream-of-consciousness fashion. Eventually he comes to this realization: “Dominate. The hidden goddess.”
We cut to Joni, still in her S&M gear, whipping a man who hangs from the ceiling and who is totally wrapped up in bondage leather. KM barges in, headress on, and demands to know when Joni went to “the other side.” Joni tells KM she’s a material girl, and went over because the other side has more money. She tries to sidetrack KM by telling him she didn’t plan on killing him, while she secretly reaches for a revolver. She whips it out, but KM already has his .45 in hand and blasts a few holes in her chest.
As she collapses onto the wall, Joni’s blood-spattered hands mark a trail as she slides to the ground. “Jesus, Joni!” KM says. “We could’ve talked about this over coffee.” Joni dies, and KM is pleased to see that the blood-tracks left by her hands on the wall are the sigil he has been searching for.
KM goes over to the hanging man, unzips his mask. It’s the politican he saw on TV. KM tells him it was the rope-burns he saw on the politician’s neck on TV that made him realize Joni was behind the hex. KM zips the mask back up and tightens the politican’s bonds until the man dies, screaming in agony. KM then leaves, saying “Nice and smooth” to himself as he walks down the stairs. The end.
All told, it’s a slight story, but entertaining. I wonder why it’s not available anywhere else. Like I said, it has that Volume 1 vibe, and it’s always nice to see KM in his headress |
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