A big part of Crossed fans fair and popularity undoubtedly comes due to the graphic nature of the book. But there is something to be really said about the characters and the human aspect that is truly the core of this story. That aspect has never really been more evident than in this issue, which could make the best Crossed issue ever written. It’s judgment day for Pat, he has dipped into the group’s supplies without permission and has been caught. Well aware of the situation the Alphas in the group decide to punish Pat by leaving him with a pair of slice Achilles. This will buy the group time from the pack of Crossed that is following them.
That being such a heavy decision, Ian reflects on the decision and recalls another moment where he was forced to conform to a group. The basis for leaving that group revolved around the fact of a thought, why would he just sit around and wait for other people to tell him what to do, how to survive. With that he was on his own again, until now.
As the group moves forward they stumble across a field of human skeletons along with a downed commercial plane nearby. They take shelter in the plane wreckage and plan their next move. As everyone gets situated in the plan, Ian believes that the only thing keeping the group ahead of the Crossed is their pacing. With Anya needing to stop so often due to her being pregnant, they’re losing ground. So Ian suggests that they leave her behind. This in turn creates some backlash among the group. But with the Crossed closing in something must be done.
Something that never really gets conveyed in “horror” comics, or horror anything for that matter, is the human aspect. Sure Ian could be seen as a monster that has zero compassion but if you really think about it, he’s scared and this is the way he’s showing it. Tough decisions that no one wants to make, let alone hear. That’s really the best part because it’s not always about the gore and shock. Sometimes the horror inside man is more intense and scary that anything else.
Score: 5/5
Story by: Garth Ennis Art by: Jacen Burrows Colors by: Digikore Studios Publisher: Avatar Press Price: $3.99 Release Date: 3/15/12