Dylan Dog 153, La strada verso il nulla

The original story for Dylan Dog 153, La strada verso il nulla (The Road to Nowhere), was developed by Italian crime writer Carlo Lucarelli (Commissario De Luca), the final script adapted by the creator of the series, Tiziano Sclavi. It's a classic horror tale, following the logic of a nightmare that feels impossible to escape from, touching on the usual horror movie references, but fully retaining the character of Dylan Dog with a self-referential tone not uncommon in Sclavi’s series. It's a classic Dylan Dog story, working in multiple levels, dark and reflective, touching and humorous, recognising the conventions and playing with them, and it's brilliantly illustrated.

Dylan has just been dumped by his latest girlfriend, Louanne, despite Dylan believing they have had an ideal relationship for the whole month they were together (the maximum allotted time for a romantic relationship in this monthly series). It's an acrimonious breakup, the end of the road for them as a couple, Louanne telling him to go to hell. Well, that kind of send off doesn't augur well for someone like Dylan Dog, supernatural investigator of nightmares, and the 6.66 mile journey back to London does indeed turn out to be a highway to hell.

Dylan is obviously in reflective mood, (as is his housekeeper Groucho up late writing), that is further deepened when he sees a horrendous pile-up collision on the road that has doubtlessly resulted in many senseless deaths. He is advised to take a diversion that he has not been aware of before and is surprised to encounter no other traffic on the road. None except a monster black truck that tries to run him off the road Duel style. He has some company when he picks up a troubled but beautiful hitchhiker Alga, whose car has broken down on this dangerous road. It looks like a road to nowhere, shrouded in fog, no matter how long or how far Dylan drives, the road signs still show 6.66 miles to London.

La strada verso il nulla is a strange surreal nightmare of a tale, giving him plenty of opportunity for his characteristic catch-phrase exclamation of "Giuda ballerino" (Dancing Judas). The surreal events may be partly caused by Dylan's mood on that night, by the experience of the pile-up on the road, but Groucho is also involved and seems to be inviting the surreal moments in his writing. 

Giovanni Freghieri's attractive artwork is fully up to the dynamic and darkness of the story. Alga seems to have stepped out of a Frank Miller Sin City story, only with more clothes on. Well, for most of the time; that never lasts when Dylan is involved. She's more than just the usual romantic interest however, and in response to Dylan's befuddlement that both of them seem to be drifting in and out of nightmares, Alga makes the observation that dreams can surely be a part of reality (“Perchè, un sogno non fa parte della realità?”), which is something you think an experienced investigator of nightmares might have recognised himself.


Reading notes: Dylan Dog 153 - La strada verso il nulla, February 2004 (Seconda ristampa), 98 pages. Story by Carlo Lucarelli, Script by Tiziano Sclavi, Art by Giovanni Freghieri.

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