‘Undone by Blood’ #5 review

Undone by Blood has been one of the finest Westerns I’ve read in some time.

August 12, 2020

For the entirety of Undone by Blood, we have not known about the inception of Ethel Cole Grady’s tale of revenge, so opening issue #5 with this tale and having it sprinkled across the issue cutting back to Ethel’s present and past yields a deep impact. This impact from Ethel’s own emotional journey is compounded with the narrative conclusion to Solomon Eaton’s journey. Its been an effective ride, and one that finds itself offering a new journey.

With what writers Lonnie Nadler and Zac Thompson have achieved, this issue pays off all the slow-burn moments in the last four issues. This series has always employed some wonderfully Western tropes and continues to subvert the minutia through Ethel’s own character. This story has also consistently boasted some of the best set-pieces and action scenes that are being executed in all of comics.

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Sami Kivela’s artwork is simply splendid. All the visuals in this book well crafted and deftly executed, making for some fascinating ways to convey the story. Every page feels wholly unique, and always has this great fervor for it. Some of the panels yield in this emotional depth that sears our mental landscape with violence. While Kivela makes for proper intertextual comprehension, the dynamism of his work persistently grows and offers a great story.

Adding to the artwork has been Jason Wordie’s colors. Each panel has been wonderfully painted with uniquely layered shades that offer proper depth into the story. More than ever, it properly distinguishes the three different plots of this issue and it yields a beautiful visual feast. Giving even better technicalities to this story is Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou’s lettering which also brings a change in the word balloons. His distinguishing of the word balloons in Ethel’s memory to the present day to Solomon Eaton gives the specificity of this story more credence.

Undone by Blood has been one of the finest Westerns I’ve read in some time. While this is the end for Ethel, I’m excited for more Solomon Eaton.