Image Comics 2016
Written by Joe Harris
Illustrated by Martin Morazzo
Coloured by Kelly Fitzpatrick
Lettered by Michael David Thomas
The fugitive weather manipulator and domestic terrorist, THE WHITE WIZARD had come to New York City seeking revenge. But vengeance was already waiting for him along with CHLOE, the daughter he once experimented on in order to complete his work. Seeking the stolen FORMULARY—the secret means to make it snow in a world that hasn’t seen such in over ten years—the COOPERATIVE responded in force. Now, his support decimated, his allies sacrificed, and hope for his crusade fading, DR. AUGUST REASONS finds himself lost in a city sacked by a climate attack he did not launch, hunted by more forces than he can elude, and desperate to reach the HAZELTYNE BUILDING so he might, finally, tear it all down.
You forget how much you enjoy a series when you haven’t read an issue in a few months. Thankfully while this series started back in February and the last issue came out in June reading this issue brought it all back in one fell swoop. The memory gates opened and I didn’t need a refresher as I delved into this feet first and enjoyed every moment like no time was spent between issues. That’s how good Joe’s been writing this series with the content, subject matter, the cast of characters and their characterisation.
I don’t know if the delay helped Martin recharge his batteries but the opening page is beautiful. The attention to detail, the perspective and the overall effect brought me into this wonderfully. His work here is definitely a highlight of the series the way he uses page layouts and the angles, perspective and use of background the way panels done have borders are whited out like from the storm he and Kelly really do some of the most incredible work telling the story visually.
Dr. Reasons finds himself in a quandary and only through the kindness of a blind woman does he escape the fate he should meet. Meanwhile Chloe rallies her own support team those who will help her in what she plans and it’s nice to see Assessor HV9 again and what she’s experiencing at the hands of the madman who wishes to learn nothing more than others secrets. Then there’s Anthony Farrow what Chloe plans for him I’m not sure but we’ll see as she’s readying herself to unleash something big.
It’s nice to catch up on everyone while Joe still moves the story forward. Suddenly everyone is separated and they have to find a way to regroup and become the force that Chloe desires. Now that she’s free and awake this world will never be the same and she can wield the power of the storm in ways her father never dared dream of. I do feel like this is a reintroduction of the series to reacquaint us with the cast and see them from where we left off but still what we see in the Hazeltyne Building is the real new stuff.
Imaginative, creative and chilling the true scope of the story hasn’t even been revealed yet but still we cling to what we’ve got in awe and wonder of what these creators can do.