Ever since it launched, the Ghost Machine banner has been delivering comics of all shapes and sizes for Image. Geiger and Redcoat offer glimpses of an America populated with strange superpowered beings, The Rocketfellers brought a family from the future into our present, and Hyde Street is straight up horror. Yet the title that hooked me is Rook: Exodus. Geoff Johns and Jason Fabok managed to bring some genuinely fresh energy into the post-apocalyptic genre, and Rook: Exodus #7 returns with even more of the same creative energy that fueled the first arc.
Initially intending to leave the broken world of Exodus, the warden known as Rook now seeks to save it – and to do so, he and his fellow wardens are tracking down Bloodhound, the one warden who knows how to fix Exodus’ world engine. There’s just one problem: years of wearing his helmet has driven Bloodhound into a feral state, and some of the other wardens are less than willing to keep him alive.
Almost immediately, Rook: Exodus #7 feels like it’s both a fresh start and building on the foundation that the first story arc laid out. Newcomers don’t need to worry about catching up, as Rook recaps the previous arc in a single page (other publishers and creators, take note) while readers who liked the first arc will probably be happy to be reunited with these characters again. Rook, in particular, has undergone a major change: no longer is he racing to abandon Exodus, but he’s willing to risk everything to save it. How far those risks will go remains to be seen.
Image Comics
Johns and Fabok also introduce a whole host of new wardens in the pages of Rook: Exodus #7. In addition to Bloodhound, there’s Materhorn, a solitary warden who takes refuge in the snowy mountains with her goats, and Stag, a warden who controls deer and has a samurai motif. The opening fight between Stag and Bloodhound is the centerpiece of Rook: Exodus #7, as it features no dialogue save for the sounds of nature, including Bloodhound’s feral growls. Fabok is in his element here, drawing dynamic action while also using the page space to show off the intricate details in each Warden’s wardrobe. Bloodhound’s fur-lined cape and ragged robes offer a sharp contrast to Stag’s jet black uniform and blood red katana. Throughout the issue, Brad Anderson also blankets the page in harsh white snow, showcasing that the Wardens will have to deal with the elements in addition to Bloodhound and his pack.
Rook: Exodus #7 isn’t all fight scenes, though. Johns squeezes in emotional moments where he can, particularly when Bloodhound’s daughter Dire Wolf attempts to reason with him. Despite her pleas, it becomes clear that whoever Bloodhound was before he donned the helmet is gone. It’s also nice to see Rook continue to rely on Pumba, the boar that belonged to his late friend Swine; this proves that wardens don’t just have to bond to their selective animals, while also underlining the bonds they themselves have to create.
Rook: Exodus #7 sees the return of arguably Ghost Machine’s standout title, offering both a new story arc and a great jumping on point alongside a creative team at the peak of their potential. With a new set of stakes and a new set of wardens – including the frightening Arachnid, who shows up in the final pages – Johns and Fabok are aiming to take this title to the next level.
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