Skybound/Image Comics 2014
Created & Written by Joshua Williamson
Created & Illustrated by Andrei Bressan
Coloured by Adriano Lucas
As we open with Mikey and Brennan doing what they have to survive, stealing food from campsites, the brothers bonding expedition continues. They are on the hunt for Sameal’s blades and Mikey has a general idea where to find them. It’s also something of a lesson not just for Brennan but for us as readers as well as we learn that forces from Terrenos can be summoned on Earth and those forces like to remain hidden from the prying eyes of man. It’s stuff dreams are made of going to a realm where time passes differently and grand sweeping epic adventure comes to life and these folks have managed to really bring that awe inspiring imagination to life on the pages.
Meanwhile mom is making revelations of her own. She begins reading the journal Mikey kept while on Terrenos and finally comes to believe that this grown man is indeed her son and she’s more determined than ever to find him and protect him. Yay mom as she makes her own board and searches for clues among the writings in his journal. Now she just needs to get her husband and so the two can work together to reunite their family again. Besides thanks to Andrei and Adriano he’s a DILF not to mention he’s going through his own emotional growing journey throughout all this.
This is what Joshua does he is able to weave this incredibly human drama into a story surrounded by sword and sorcery making it not just about Mikey but his family and the ramifications what’s happening on all of them and he keeps them and us in the loop so we see them go on this journey and we can identify with them more readily. Often stories will tend to focus on the main character and the supporting casts is background but here really makes it as much about them as it is about Mikey and that sets this apart from the crowd.
Mikey’s pregnant wife has traveled to Earth in search of him and well she’s a pistol and I cannot wait till she meets up with him and his family and the reaction that will have on them all. It’s not just her though as the FBI has met her and there are men who suspect that Mikey and Brennan are the thieves as well as finding the knives all of these little side stories will converge soon enough to make this story even bigger than it is.
Brennan still has his reservations about his brother and has seen the passenger Mikey carries but isn’t able to fully understand that yet and with the shocking twist of this issue will he be able to continue on with his brother to help save him?
This far and away one of the most complex, interesting and well done books to come have come out of 2014 and continues to blaze new trails in this year. With absolutely stunning interior artwork bringing this all to life in such magnificent ways this is THE book to keep an eye on as it has yet to hit it’s stride and be the breakout star it has yet to be.