Ice Cream Man #39: A Horrific Lesson of Decompressed Storytelling in Five Seconds

The Ice Cream Man series from Image Comics continues to be a satisfying read without the need to have read previous issues to understand what is happening to the family in the crash that occurs and frames the story,

This issue is more than just your typical Twilight Zone-esque romp that has been a hallmark of the series since the beginning. As the story unfolds, writer and series creator W. Maxwell Prince also educates, explaining while showing through Morazzo’s art what “decompressed storytelling” is and how it is used, usually without the reader being aware that it is happening because of its use in most comics currently being published.

Using decompressed storytelling to its fullest, Prince tells readers everything that needs to be said about the four members of the Johnson family and what they are thinking in the last moments of their life as the car slams into the semitruck. For the father, he experiences the trope of his entire life flashing before his eyes in a matter of seconds, as the visuals show him as a lonely young boy and the events leading up to meeting his wife.  Likewise, his wife relives her most vivid memories of growing up with her stepdad, father and grandparents. It is also here that it is revealed that the car isn’t the only thing crashing, their marriage is also.

The kids have different end-of-life experiences, the boy seeing what his life would have been like and his sister experiencing the twist that is the hallmark moment the series has come to be known for.

The artwork and colors enhance the already sad and gruesome story but remain very tasteful while showing how violent this family has met this tragic end.