Fatale
FATALE
THE COMPLETE HORROR-NOIR SAGA
ED BRUBAKER · SEAN PHILLIPS
Image Comics · 2012–2014
🔴 24 ISSUES · 5 VOLUMES · COMPLETE
Complete Compendium: 656 pages (2024)
Writer: Ed Brubaker
Artist: Sean Phillips
Colorists: Dave Stewart · Elizabeth Breitweiser
Genres: Crime Noir · Lovecraftian Horror · Supernatural Thriller · Occult Mystery · Pulp Fiction
Publication Status: COMPLETE
🩸 ABOUT THE SERIES
Fatale is an acclaimed supernatural noir comic book series created by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips, combining classic hardboiled crime fiction with cosmic horror, occult conspiracies, and the mythology of the femme fatale.
At the center of the story is Josephine, a mysterious woman whose supernatural beauty exerts an almost irresistible influence over the men who encounter her.
Her existence is bound to an ancient curse, a series of violent tragedies, and a sinister cult operating behind the scenes of modern history.
The narrative unfolds across multiple decades and historical periods, moving between the dark streets of 1950s San Francisco, the occult underworld of 1970s Los Angeles, the grunge music scene of 1990s Seattle, and the present day.
As journalists, detectives, criminals, artists, and ordinary men become entangled in Josephine's fate, they uncover disturbing connections between organized crime, secret religious societies, ancient supernatural entities, and rituals that transcend human understanding.
Meanwhile, Nicholas Lash, a young man investigating his godfather's mysterious past, discovers that Josephine's curse may have shaped generations of human lives.
Drawing inspiration from American noir cinema, pulp crime novels, and H. P. Lovecraft's cosmic horror, Fatale explores obsession, manipulation, forbidden knowledge, immortality, fatal attraction, and the terrifying consequences of desires beyond human control.
Its complex, nonlinear storytelling gradually reveals the origins of Josephine's power and the nature of the ancient evil pursuing her.
📚 THE COMPLETE COLLECTION
5 VOLUMES · FATALE #1–24
01 — DEATH CHASES ME
2012 · 144 pages · Issues #1–5
The story begins when Nicholas Lash encounters a mysterious woman at his godfather's funeral.
His investigation leads into the dark history of 1950s San Francisco, where corrupt police officers, organized criminals, and a seductive woman named Josephine become involved in a terrifying occult conspiracy.
As the past and present intertwine, the nature of Josephine's supernatural curse begins to emerge.
02 — THE DEVIL'S BUSINESS
2013 · 136 pages · Issues #6–10
The narrative shifts to Los Angeles in the 1970s.
Josephine becomes entangled with struggling Hollywood actors, former cult members, wealthy degenerates, and a disturbing collection of occult films.
In the present, Nicholas Lash continues investigating the consequences of her mysterious influence.
The supernatural conspiracy grows increasingly dangerous.
03 — WEST OF HELL
2013 · 128 pages · Issues #11–14
A collection of interconnected stories exploring the ancient history of Josephine's curse.
Moving between medieval Europe, the American Old West, and the Great Depression, these episodes reveal earlier manifestations of the mysterious supernatural forces controlling her destiny.
The stories expand the mythology of the series and reveal the historical roots of its central conflict.
04 — PRAY FOR RAIN
2014 · 144 pages · Issues #15–19
The story moves to Seattle during the grunge era of the 1990s.
An amnesiac Josephine becomes involved with a struggling rock band whose members are drawn into her supernatural influence.
As the musicians' fortunes change, a relentless killer approaches, threatening to expose the terrible forces connected to her forgotten past.
05 — CURSE THE DEMON
2014 · 144 pages · Issues #20–24
The final volume brings the multiple timelines together.
The secrets of Josephine's apparent immortality, the occult cult pursuing her, and the supernatural power controlling her existence are finally revealed.
Nicholas Lash becomes central to the resolution of the conflict as Josephine confronts the ancient forces responsible for her curse.
The series reaches its definitive conclusion.
✅ END OF THE SERIES
📦 COMPLETE COLLECTED EDITIONS
FATALE COMPENDIUM
2024 · 656 pages
ISBN: 9781534327658
Collects:
- Fatale #1–24
All five story arcs in one volume.
Recommended complete edition.
FATALE — DELUXE EDITION
Volume One (2014)
288 pages · Issues #1–10
Volume Two (2015)
432 pages · Issues #11–24
Both hardcover books include additional artwork and behind-the-scenes material.
Together they collect the entire original series.
ORIGINAL TRADE PAPERBACKS
5 Volumes · 2012–2014
01 · Death Chases Me
02 · The Devil's Business
03 · West of Hell
04 · Pray for Rain
05 · Curse the Demon
The Compendium and Deluxe Editions reproduce the same main story. Different page counts reflect formatting and supplementary material.
✅ COLLECTION SUMMARY
Original Publication: 2012–2014
Total Issues: 24
Story Arcs: 5
Trade Paperback Volumes: 5
Deluxe Hardcover Volumes: 2
Complete Compendium: 1 · 656 pages
Required Spin-offs: None
Reading Order: Volumes 01 → 05
Publication Status: COMPLETE
Recommended Edition: Fatale Compendium (2024)