The Unwritten 27 (September 2011)

Carey packs this issue. Maybe not with content–there’s a lot of conversation, then some extraneous stuff in a flashback (Vince Locke nicely inks Gross for those pages)–but with atmosphere. This kind of issue endears a series to the reader and Carey’s able to do it without forcing.

The issue also opens with a muted “Wire” reference, so it’s impossible not to love it.

For the majority of the issue, things are quiet. Carey’s resolution to the previous issue’s cliffhanger is to focus on a different event (smaller to the character, bigger to the world) and its repercussions. The actual cliffhanger gets a quiet resolution a little later.

This issue’s cliffhanger, however, is somewhat distant from Tommy and the gang. It will, undoubtedly, have big repercussions later, but for now it’s incredibly soft.

Carey and Gross’s deliberate pacing makes The Unwritten a special read. It’s always assured and deliberate.

The Unwritten 26 (August 2011)

Carey manages to be predictable and not. This issue closes off a two-parter and opens up something else… it’s not clear what yet, but definitely something. There’s a lot more action than I expect from Unwritten, maybe because it’s the regular action–guns, guys in body armor and ski masks. Gross handles it all fine.

There’s no big surprise moment, no big revelation. There are hints at future revelations and some little surprises, but Carey is certainly taking his time. He does resolve something from the previous issue, which surprised me a little. I thought he would have drug out the explanation a little longer.

Tom now commonly practices magic in the real world (and a tricky vampire) and that development changes up the norm a little. But Carey always manages to bring the triumvirate in, giving the characters their human moments.

It’s not rip-roaring, but quite good.

The Unwritten 25 (July 2011)

Creepy business abound this issue. Well, not really. It’s implied at the end. Along with some more backstory into Tommy’s childhood, which Mike Carey has a lot of fun teasing.

The issue opens with Lizzie and Savoy on a what appears to be a comical mission (and stays one until the end) before Tommy appears.

Carey does a talking heads recap–successfully catching up both the reader and the characters–and Peter Gross excels at the talking heads. I forgot how good Gross does with the regular stuff. Unwritten has a lot of fantastical visual elements (not this issue but in general) and Gross does a great job with them, but the regular stuff is somehow more profound. He’s the one who brings humanity to the cast.

Not a lot happens this issue, but Carey and Gross are so good at telling what does happen, it’s impossible to feel slighted.

The Unwritten 24 (June 2011)

Carey continues Pauly the foulmouthed bunny rabbit’s story, bringing him behind the scenes of fiction. Children’s fiction specifically. Carey visualizes it as an endless staircase with small doors into stories. Pauly escapes from the cellar through one of those doors.

It’s an interesting approach–all of the cast is, once again, pretty dumb (they’re cute little story-time animals after all) and Pauly quickly manipulates them all. Except the weasels. Once gets the feeling the weasels know what’s going on. Carey has a lot of Wind in the Willows references this issue… weasels included.

As usual with these done-in-ones, Carey could probably do a series around them so he has to bring a distinct voice. Here he uses Pauly’s… baby mama (a hippo) who recounts the tale. She’s a reliable narrator, but dumb. Makes for an interesting perspective.

The art is simultaneously precious and ominous. Al Davison does well over Gross’s layouts.

CREDITS

Stairway to Heaven; writers, Peter Gross and Mike Carey; pencillers, Gross and Al Davison; inker, Davison; colorist, Chris Chuckry; letterer, Todd Klein; editors, Joe Hughes and Pornsak Pichetshote; publisher, Vertigo.