Officer Dana Cypress is closing in on the people behind the Reviver Body Parts smuggling and murder suspect, Anders Hine. The way things are going, it’s all going to end very messy. Let’s see if it does! Is it good?
Revival #23 (Image Comics)
Things are going down all over the place. Dana finally finds Hine at the socialite party, where they were feasting on him. As Cooper continues running away from home, he comes across one of those wandering glowing soul creatures. With the disappearance of Cooper, the Sheriff confronts Edmund Hult at his home believing that he is where his grandson was running off to. By the end of it all, people will die and some stories will be coming to a close while new horrors surface.
Now remember your Boy Scout training! No sudden movements!
If I had one word to describe this issue, it would be ‘finality.’ Not in the sense the series is coming to an end (this arc is definitely over though), but in the sense that several of these storylines that have been building for such a long time are finally ending or reaching a conclusion. As such, with all of these storylines closing out and some new ones rising out from their ashes, this felt like a really satisfying and truly engaging experience. Lots of great story progression and development in the best of ways, while also featuring great character development and characterization going on. I can’t really explain them, go into much detail, or even mention all of the storylines that wrapped up without spoiling everything, but I can guarantee you that as a fan, you’ll like where this issue went and especially how it ended.
Tim Seeley’s writing is as strong as ever and really helps make the story great. The pacing and storytelling are really good, balancing five to seven stories at once without having one storyline overshadow another (there are one or two rough transitions because of how many stories are happening, but it’s not a problem). Like stated before, every story bit or subplot got advancement in this issue. There was no token appearance of one story just to remind the audience that it is still happening, so nothing felt like a waste of time or padding. The dialogue is pretty solid, really diving into the minds of the characters and helping you feel for them in their situation, outside of one very long and rather boring rant at one point. The character work was stellar as usual, continuing to develop the characters well and making them feel more three-dimensional. All in all, great stuff.
Well I suppose human flesh goes well with fondue, in the same way Twizzlers goes well with guacamole.
Mike Norton’s artwork remains excellent, but that’s no surprise. The quality of the art on Revival has never dipped, and this issue is no different. Of particular note here: the creepy vibe isn’t as strong in this issue as it was in the previous. Not that’s not to say not anything creepy or horrifying happens in the comic (I mean, just look at the picture above!), but it’s not nearly as surprising as in the previous issue. Well except for the ending, but that’s neither here nor there. The point is that artwork is still strong at depicting everything, especially the horror elements in the comic. I have no reason to believe this won’t continue as the series progresses.
Is It Good?
Revival #23 is a fantastic wrap-up to this arc, paving the way for some truly fascinating and shocking stories in the future as it brings to a close several storylines. The writing is top-notch, the characters are fantastic, and the artwork continues to shine. What more is there to say about the issue? Definitely check it out (or if you are behind, just wait to grab the trade next month) so you can be ready for the upcoming fifth arc as spring finally arrives in Wisconsin…
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