Archaia/Boom Studios 2015
Created by Trevor Crafts, Matthew Daly & Bruce Boxleitner
Written by Matthew Daley & Mairghread Scott
Illustrated by Carlos Magno
Coloured by Chris Blythe
Let me just say that the cover for this issue makes me think it’s Neil Patrick Harris standing there looking at us. Aside from the fact it’s always a gorgeous cover and the work truly exceptional it’s just that added bonus so thanks to Benjamin Carre.
Sander came across someone needing saving last issue but he couldn’t have known that it would be Lantern City’s supreme ruler Killian Grey. It seems that every choice Sander makes seems to be get him deeper and deeper into something he just isn’t prepared for. Regardless he does seem rather adept at thinking on his feet and coming up with the most logical conclusion for himself. He remains true to himself and those actions seem to be rewarded in the most unexpected of ways. Though at this time he still doesn’t know where his own wife and child are.
I really am enjoying the way Matthew and Mairghread are telling this story. As Sander gets deeper and deeper into his cover life and makes unexpected friends and allies while also discovering who is really his enemies things get deliciously complicated. A lot of this issue was spent with Sander and Killian running around the underground having to work together to survive the pitfalls that face them. The characterization and the story development really go a long way to making this one hell of an interesting read. The premise was great but as I read each issue it seems things are evolving on the fly and that makes predicting anything near impossible.
I like the ingenuity on display as Sander thinks on his feet proving there’s more to him than meets the eye. At first I thought he was merely a survivor taking a risk to better life for his family but as situations arise we see his mind in action. This kind of thinking from him and his knowledge make him such a more complete character. That he’s with Killian who is experiencing this alongside him it isn’t surprising to see how that will unfold.
We don’t see Lizel this issue but after what we saw last issue her father is doing things she is completely unaware of and that’s dangerous for her and for Sander. I look forward to seeing if she talks to him before receiving Sander’s message about him. Either way you know this is going to wreck some havoc somewhere and I can’t wait to see it.
His second family, Terna and Jom, should benefit from what’s going to happen next as well. His loyalty to those around him is admirable and he’s the kind of man that you want with you. His willingness to follow his gut and tell the truth has served him well and kept him alive when the truth needed to be hidden. There’s really a marvelous complexity to him how he behaves.
Carlos Magno is one of the absolute best artists in the industry that you don’t know about. His work from the first time I saw it has left an impression on me. It’s so detailed and dramatic and full of expression it’s verve is without equal. Not only his ability to bring the characters to life but his use of pages, panels and backgrounds are among the things that I think makes him one of my favorite artists.
This is a series that you may not know enough about but you definitely should be reading.