Losing someone before your ready to say good-bye is a tragic event. And its one that happened to James O’Barr, whose fiancée passed away. His mind picked apart how it happened and blamed himself for who knows how long. That pain & anger demanded an outlet of some kind. And so, the story known as “The Crow” was first published in 1989.

In the story, Eric and Shelly were engaged when a group of criminals attacked them when their car was stalled. He was forced to watch as they physically & sexually assaulted Shelly until they were done and they put a bullet in his head. One year later and Eric has come back with one purpose – to seek vengeance against the ones responsible. Some readers might view Eric as a hero not unlike someone such as The Punisher. The fact this comic was printed in black & white does vaguely give it the impression that the world in this story operates in the same way in regards to moral judgement. The bad will ultimately be punished while the good are rewarded for their hardship and good deeds.

But this isn’t a story about a hero. Despite Eric’s resurrection having the makings of a magic-based superhero, that is not what the story is about. In between hunting criminals, we see Eric do a few other things. He talks to a young girl who is going through her own kind of suffering and connects with her. By the end of the story, he makes an attempt to make sure she has a chance at finding something better. But mostly, he loses himself in his memories. Remembering the woman he lost and wallowing in the grief he still feels. It is only after he finally kills all those he deems responsible that he is forced to confront that pain and find some sense of closure. Enough for him to finally find some rest and peace.

Some of you are probably most familiar with the 1994 movie adaptation. It is a great movie, no doubt about it. But there is one difference between the two version that does make the meaning of the story slightly less impactful. The movie gives him a limitation that he is forced to work through during the climax. A way for him to die before his mission is complete. But the comic places no limits on Eric. That is because Eric should be seen as the personification of Grief itself. All the pain, sadness, and anger that comes with it. It is a force of nature that can’t be stopped. A force that attacks everyone and everything in its path. The silver lining is that the people getting hurt are irredeemable criminals. But the bloodshed alone isn’t enough to bring peace to him. It’s only when he feels like he is ready to move on that he doesn’t feel as bad anymore.

Many people deal with grief in their own way. But it’s important that you don’t bottle it up. Later on, that can erupt and become more destructive than the story printed on these black and white pages. A color palette that doesn’t distract too much from the reader having to look at what is happening and reflecting on the events. It all clearly touched a lot of readers as many still read it or watch the movie version and find a connection to the emotion being depicted. There are a lot of quotes that are memorable from “The Crow” but there is one that feels most appropriately right here:

Life is lousy with hurt but it also shimmers with beauty. Don’t miss your chance to be a part of that beauty. You may not get another.