If you haven’t been reading Justin Jordan and Niko Henrichon’s Reaver series, let me be the first to say that you’ve been missing out. Throughout eleven issues, we’ve watched Jordan and Henrichon take a bunch of misfit murderers and turn them into heroes. Reaver #11 wraps the latest chapter which solely focuses on the characters Essen Breaker (The Devil’s Son) and Rekala (Skin Eater). Last issue, Breaker and Rekala found out that Breaker’s friend Bren is Stagger, the mastermind behind the missing children of Haas Haden.
Reaver #11 brings “The Grim After” arc to a close, but not without tying up some loose ends, setting things up for future events, and of course bringing the sheer brutality we’ve grown to love.
This was a great script that dove deeper into Essen Breaker’s past. Jordan uses this opportunity to not only give the reader more detail into how Breaker grew to become the Devil’s Son, he also flips the story and gives us the origins of both Bren and Breaker. This not only continues to strengthen the character development of Breaker, but also echoes what he’s been saying since the beginning of the series: “Death follows me.”
Some great dialogue moments talk briefly about why Rekala left the Kaenash. This could likely be foreshadowing for future issues that could give us the backstory on her character. Also worth mentioning are some incredible moments that connect to the first arc, which is a great way to remind the reader that all these events are happening in the same universe of the overall story.
Aside from that, the rest of the issue that leads up to the climactic battle at the end was pretty spot on with a few added twists. The pacing, transitions, and direction of the plot are smooth and know where it’s headed next.
Henrichon brings out the emotional element of this issue. You can feel the struggle, destruction, and story of friendship through his pencil work. The way he interconnects an origin story on top of picking up where the last book left off feels flawless. What I’ve come to love most about any of his panels is the energy they bring to the story.
Reaver #11 is such a great send-off issue that looks to catapult us back into the bigger picture of the Reaver series. With some of his demons off his shoulder, perhaps Breaker will come one step closer to realizing he’s more than a weapon of death. Only time will tell. In the meantime, whether you’re a few issues behind or new to the comic, it’s a great time to catch up.
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