The Unwritten (2009) #19

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There’s a thread I thought Carey had resolved… the whole Savoy being a vampire being. Looks like I was wrong. I guess I just assumed Wilson Taylor knew stuff. That assumption is, apparently, quite wrong.

This issue—kicking off the Melville arc—introduces a new villain. Or a possible new villain; she’s a doll maker and she’s been around a while. There’s not much to her yet, but in her company, Pullman almost becomes likable. He’s just gotten to be familiar at this point. It turns hurt the last big villain turned out to be real annoying and Pullman didn’t like him, which makes the character somewhat sympathetic.

There’s not much about the story though—the big story. Instead, Carey’s spending time on the characters; he closes the issue with Lizzie and Tom making out. It’s a great scene and totally unexpected.

Carey’s successfully navigating the series through uncharted waters.

The Unwritten (2009) #18

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No way, Carey answers some questions. Without raising new ones. Well, okay, I guess he sort of hints at some new ones—we get to see the council of evil anti-readers for the first time. They look like Fox News personalities, but they’re meeting in a cave and have secret evil rituals. Okay, I guess I’m not sure it’s unlike Fox News internal business practices.

But the real questions answered have more to do with Tom. Carey positions him to take the active role in the book—which is only fair, since it’s his book and all… though it signals a big change for how the series usually plays out. It’s a welcome turn of events, one Carey introduces as a sort of surprise. More accurately, he sets it up to go anywhere and where he takes it still manages to surprise.

It’s a fantastic, refreshing issue; just great.

The Unwritten (2009) #17

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The playful, “Choose Your Own Adventure,” aspect to this issue is stunning. It’s not the point of the comic—in fact, in a stream of consciousness sort of way, reading it straight through makes more sense (otherwise, why would Carey have ended the issue on the final pages)—but it’s a stunning device.

This issue we get Lizzie’s backstory. We do not get, however, any answers to the present questions raised and Carey raises even more questions about Lizzie than he answers.

So the ride is what’s important and it’s a wonderful ride. It makes Wilson a real character and makes Lizzie a subject.

Savoy is the opposite, of course—he’s Tom’s sidekick, regardless of how important his presence is to the triumvirate. It’ll be interesting to see if, since he’s explained Lizzie, Carey will focus on Savoy.

Nice art from Ryan Kelly too; it looks like Unwritten, but special.

The Unwritten (2009) #16

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So is Wilson’s editor in with Wilson or in with the bad guys? The issue has a soft cliffhanger for Lizzie—who somehow got to go home, but lost it too (I wonder if Carey’s seen Somewhere in Time because he really pulls a penny out of the pocket in terms of an easy fix)—but nothing regarding Tommy and Savoy and the book itself.

This issue of Unwritten made me realize Carey’s plans are finite. The series is not intended to go on forever, which is probably better—not just in realistic publishing terms, but also so Carey doesn’t get to a point where he’s dragging it out. But it’s a little depressing to realize.

The issue’s difficult to discuss without spoiling… suffice it to say, Carey keeps the surprises coming.

Savoy does get the short end once again.

It’s impossible to anticipate where Carey will go from here.

The Unwritten (2009) #15

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Wilson Taylor makes his first appearance in Unwritten’s present action this issue; it’s Carey’s biggest surprise so far. Not because his appearance is so extraordinary, but just the opposite. He shows up like he’s been in the cast the entire time.

While the Pullman subplot develops, the issue brings Tom back to his literary geographer status. He and Savoy spend the issue on a slight quest to meet up with Wilson—I never expected the old boy to actually show up at the end of it, though.

Meanwhile, Carey has Lizzie still back home, though she does bring some of her new life back with her. She’s learned a lot among them English.

Carey’s set up Lizzie as a strong character, who can survive on her own in the book. Savoy, he hasn’t. He needs to be a sidekick.

Just an observation, not a judgment. Lizzie’s more pleasant anyway.

The Unwritten (2009) #14

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Here Carey has another bridging issue. He gets in some great moments, but he’s mostly just building to the next big incident. He uses this pacing a lot in Unwritten, at least in the two previous arcs, and it always works out very well.

But this issue also has another facet and it’s where Carey distinguishes the series again.

Lizzie freaks out this issue about the possibility of not being a fictive character. Carey resolves it, or seems to, at the end of the issue, but the beauty is seeing how scared she gets over it, how far she’s willing to go to find out the truth. While Carey’s shown fictive characters who are somewhat shady about understanding their place in the “real world,” the vampire bad guy for example, Lizzie’s panic is a first in Unwritten. It’s lovely stuff.

Otherwise, the issue mostly features some well-written water treading.

The Unwritten (2009) #13

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Well, while I don’t known exactly what I expected from this issue of Unwritten, I will say I never expected the cliffhanger Carey finishes with.

In most ways, the issue is innocuous. There’s the new Tommy Taylor book—a fake—and there’s an event, but that event isn’t happening this issue. There’s some more information about Lizzie, there’s Tom getting hammered with Frankenstein’s Monster… but it’s not a particularly active issue.

Then Carey comes up with a couple big reveals for the end, leading up to the cliffhanger. The second reveal is tied directly to that cliffhanger.

It’s an excellent issue. The way Carey’s able to keep it fresh—not just as the next development in the overall narrative, but also in terms of the twenty-two pages of story— shows why Unwritten is such a great series.

I’m now to the point I have no idea what to expect.

The Unwritten (2009) #12

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Reading the latest side-story issue of Unwritten, all I could think about was how Carey and Gross should never stop the series, they should also spin out some of these side-stories.

I guess they call these side-stories one-shots. Anyway. This one, “Willowbank Tales,” has more than enough promise to hold at least three issues.

It’s about a Wind in the Willows type place—albeit with less literary import—where some guy who wrong Wilson Taylor finds himself exiled. He’s the bunny rabbit and he’s got a foul mouth and plans for committing mass murder if need be to escape.

The issue manages to be funny and touching. Gross, with inker Kurt Higgins, create a precious cast of animals; it’s hard to dislike them, even if they are brainless.

It also gives Carey a chance to riff about the nature of children’s literature for a couple pages.

The Unwritten (2009) #11

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A small complaint. This issue features Tommy—sorry, Tom—having a big Jedi moment. Only no one thinks he’s a good enough Jedi to do it yet. But he can still do it… and Carey doesn’t even hint at why he can do it. It plays out fine because it’s a big set piece but it’s a narrative pothole. It suggests Tom’s “purpose” might be to quest about, correcting literary wrongs… to what end, though. Carey doesn’t touch on that bit either, or even recognize it in the story.

Otherwise, it’s a great issue.

Lizzie knocks Goebbels’s block off, which is fun to see in wish fulfillment, but also just to see her get a strong moment. She’s mysterious to the point she fades into the background occasionally.

Tom gets to show purpose and activeness. Savoy gets to do his sidekick thing.

Fabulous art from Gross—on the “monster” especially.

The Unwritten (2009) #10

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It’s been too long since I’ve read Unwritten. I had to remember stuff—why no recap page, darn it—I’m still not sure it’s been confirmed, before this issue, Wilson is alive somewhere. Maybe it has been.

Anyway, Tommy and company end up in a sort of Nazi Germany where Tommy and the male sidekick—Savoy (Carey’s great at giving memorable names for characters without making them too outlandish)—run into Goebbels.

Lizzie gets pissed at Tommy before that meeting and abandons him, leaving him to his own devices. So, of course he screws up.

Coming back to Unwritten, besides just the quality of work from Carey and Gross, there’s also the draw of the Tommy character. He’s fallible beyond the point of all reason at times. One can sympathize, but also just stand slack-jawed.

Here, for instance, he thought he should trust Goebbels? How stupid do you get?