Well, well, well… this is a pretty important damn issue. In fact this issue could steal all of the thunder of the next issue because there is so much revealed here. Yeah it’s that type of issue. Don’t get me wrong, this is a great damn issue, but it’s damn near impossible to not factor in the ending and what’s come before it. First though let’s start with what’s here, but I’ll warn you that there might be one or two small spoilers. Grey is being taken back to his hotel room… at least that’s what he thinks. Instead he’s being transported by an eeled out Lawless, our bumbling police officer. Grey kind of nods off with is strange, but it works to transition the story into Unland’s past.
From 1881 we find our story in 1843. A man and his son are on a small boat out on the water. The boat appears to be a bit stuck and the man appears to be a bit lost. A fact his son reminds him of in only the way a son can… annoyingly. They continue on their way and we learn why they’re on the swamp, but we really don’t know who they are until the man’s wife arrives in a boat of her own telling them they shouldn’t be on the water. Low and behold the man is Sir Horace and the woman is his first wife, making his son the one that was claimed by unland?
Again there are a ton of reveals in this issue so as much as I would like to talk about them and how they wonderfully connect to what’s been happening in the story… well I can’t without spoiling the entire story. Kim Newman and Maura McHugh continue to tell a story with steady pace. There may be one too many reveals in this issue for its own good, but we’ll see how the ending plays out.
The character of Ada Morse is a wonderful addition to the story and the only negative is that we don’t get more time spent with her. She’s a wonderful character that adds so much personality and vibrancy that the story has only had Sir Grey to rely on.
This won’t come as much of a surprise, but Tyler Crook continues to deliver powerful pages and support the story with his strong visual storytelling. There’s a scene at the end that I didn’t even bother reading the dialogue for because Crook’s visuals were doing the job. It was a powerful scene and you’ll see what I mean about the dialogue once you see it for yourself. It’s probably the best scene of the series thus far.
While this story has been entertaining to read I’m really looking forward to it concluding. Maybe it’s because the path of the ending has been somewhat clear since the beginning or just that the writing makes the reader desire resolution, but whatever it is I’ll be back for the end. If you’ve been missing out and want a taste of what the Mignolaverse has to offer then check this series out.
Score: 4/5
Writers: Kim Newman and Maura McHugh Artist: Tyler Crook Colorist: Dave Stewart Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Price: $3.50 Release Date: 9/17/14 Format: Mini-Series; Print/Digital