Each of the participating writers/reviews of Comic Bastards will give the issue a score of: Buy, Borrow or Pass along with a short reason for the score. Here’s a blurb about the issue from Image before we begin: Every Death must love and every Death must die; the cycle of world demands it. The one who captures our last breath must breathe his last before becoming inured to the pain of loss. This cycle is ending. But this Death... will not go easy.
Neil: BUY
Issue four of Pretty Deadly is still a solid book. For me this book is a buy just on the storytelling method alone. It is such a clever and sophisticated book for a Western theme book. I love the way the writer uses symbolism to drive a point him home in the book or just to keep the story going. The fight between Mason, and Ginny was my favorite moment in this book. You have a remorseful mortal man in Mason who is trying to do the right thing and give Sissy a shot at life rather than making her embrace the destiny that death has designed for her. And while he is fighting, he tries to convince Ginny that this girl needs protection from her father, that even if he dies today, Mason needs Ginny to understand that she needs to protect her from death. For me it was a powerful moment in the comic, and the beautiful art of this book did those panels justice. You can feel and see the struggle, the grit, the desperation between both opponents; it looked like poetry in motion. I know that may sound like a crazy comparison, but that’s what I got from those panels. So far the book has been an epic ride and I am hoping that issue five can keep that great storytelling and art going because it has been one of the best books in comics right now.
James: BUY
My opinion of this title has been well documented. I absolutely love it. This wild fairy tale of a western written by Kelly Sue Deconnick and drawn by Emma Rios has been at times shocking, at other times, mind-blowing, and at all times, entertaining, it has been one of my anxious pulls every month. I just can’t get enough.
Having said that, I do believe that #4 is probably the least of the issues to date. It plays more as a transition issue that is preparing to get moving into its final kick as the characters are falling into place, the lines are being drawn, and an outcome regarding what will happen to all of the characters involved are reaching their judgment day. Something is going to give, and I for one can’t wait to see what it will be. This may be a slower issue that the others, but it is every bit as strong as its predecessors and it is still definitely one of my favorite titles right now.
Dustin: BUY
I’ve been a big fan of this series since the first issue. In my opinion the series has only gotten better and better. Now granted there are aspects of the earlier issues that I enjoyed more than aspects of this issue, but there is just something awesome about the fourth issue.
It’s more than likely the scene in which we see a woman and a coyote and then a man and a crow. If you missed this then this is actually the way Sissy sees the world. Sure the comic then switches to the one point of view that we’re familiar with, but I thought this quick two panel scene was one of the best of the series. I couldn’t stop looking at it over and over. It was so freaking cool.
This series is moving quickly through its first story arc quickly which is either good or bad. I have no idea what’s going to happen in the fifth issue or what could possibly caring this story after that, but I believe in the creative team. They’re solid and haven’t let me down yet. If you bailed on this series then it’s your loss because it’s one of my favorites and only getting better.
Score: BUY
Writer: Kelly Sue DeConnick Artist: Emma Rios Colorist: Jordie Bellaire Publisher: Image Comics Price: $3.50 Release Date: 1/22/14