By Chris Tresson
Let me start by saying I’ve been following this series since the first issue but this is the first chance I’ve had to review an issue for Comic Bastards. I’m not just jumping into a random issue and hoping for the best, I’ve actually been reading it. You can trust me. The Beauty… This series has a super cool concept that sits well with me, and so far I’ve enjoyed what creators Jeremy Haun and Jason Hurley have done with it. It’s only natural that I should choose to review an issue now as the second arc of The Beauty reaches its conclusion. So first off, I’m going to give my two cents on how I think this arc has fared compared to the first.
I honestly thought there wasn’t going to be a second arc. I thought this series was done once the first arc finished, so I was quite pleased when I saw it was coming back for second innings. I like how this second arc has focused more on the people affected by the beauty virus rather than the actual virus itself which if I were going to write another arc of it, it would seem like the natural thing to do. There’s a lot of mileage there and by focusing in on the people infected, this series could go on forever…
Having just read the conclusion of The Beauty’s second arc, I can say that I’m impressed overall with how it has panned out. It was a cool story, I found the jump between opening issue of the arc and the issue that followed a bit weird, but I get it now. The story has come full circle.The art in this arc of The Beauty from Mike Huddleston, Brett Weldele and in this issue, Stephen Green, has been pretty nice (resisted the urge to say beautiful, ha!) throughout and this final issue is no except. A great job from Stephen Green, issue Eleven may have some of my favorite panels of the whole story arc in it, and the coloring in this from John Rauch is lovely, too. I know I say that every time I read something John has colored but that because it’s true, haha. He knows how to color comics and has done an excellent job on The Beauty.
So... this was a good end to the arc, but with the way it left off, I’m not sure what’s going to be coming next. It may be something completely different to what we’ve read so far (as I’m writing this I’m hoping none of the creative team/Image have decided to end the series, I’m not fact checking. It’ll put me in a bad mood if it’s been cancelled.) Damn. Thinking about that now, I’ve completely lost my train of thought… Fuck. I hope it’s not cancelled.
Okay. Anyways, if you’re jumping in to this review and you haven’t read any of The Beauty (you idiot), get your arse down to your local comic shop and pick up whatever Beauty trades are there and immerse yourself in this world. It’s a big, sexy series with great art and a story that’s original as shit. You’ll be glad you took my advice.
Seriously. Go get The Beauty. All the cool kids are doing it.
Score: 4/5
The Beauty #11
Writers: Jeremy Haun and Jason Hurley
Artist: Stephen Green
Colorist: John Rauch
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $3.99
Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital