Copperhead wraps the arc in a really, really, really quick issue. Faerber intentionally avoids half of Clara’s character development possibilities. There are four. Faerber does two. They aren’t the hard two.

There are some great Clara moments, but Moss’s art hurts every one of them. Between the rushed story–it’s written to endcap a collection, not be a full issue–and Moss’s loose faces… it’s not great.

It’s not bad at all and Faerber sets the book up for an interesting arc when it comes back, but Copperhead has gotten to the point where Moss is holding it back. Faerber’s character moments can’t connect without expression and Moss can’t do human expression.

He’s pretty good at the aliens. Like, Boo. Boo’s fine.

But it’s not Boo’s issue. It’s ostensibly Clara’s, only it ends up being no one’s.

Anyway. Okay read, good series, but the issue takes about three minutes to get through.

CREDITS

Writer, Jay Faerber; artist, Drew Moss; colorist, Ron Riley; letterer, Thomas Mauer; publisher, Image Comics.

Copperhead hasn’t exactly been lost since Faerber took the focus off Clara and expanded the existing supporting cast, then expanded new supporting cast, but it’s been kind of… not Copperhead. It’s been missing Clara.

Clara’s back, y’all. Clara’s back.

Even with the issue mostly juxtaposed against bad dad Clay out to kill Ishmael the good android and kidnap son Zeke–and Faerber working on two subplots–it’s basically a Clara issue. Because there’s some big backstory revelation (even bigger than the last reveal Faerber did a couple issues back) and it’s from Clara’s point of view. She even narrates some of it.

There are, as always, problems with Moss’s art. His composition is pretty spot on, which helps, especially once the action gets going, but the proportions are still inconsistent, the faces are still inconsistent.

The composition helps.

Copperhead keeps on going. Faerber keeps on getting through these story arcs, which sometimes seem a little unstable, and he gets them solid by the finish. Because Clara. It’s her book, after all.

Copperhead hasn’t exactly been lost since Faerber took the focus off Clara and expanded the existing supporting cast, then expanded new supporting cast, but it’s been kind of… not Copperhead. It’s been missing Clara.

Clara’s back, y’all. Clara’s back.

Even with the issue mostly juxtaposed against bad dad Clay out to kill Ishmael the good android and kidnap son Zeke–and Faerber working on two subplots–it’s basically a Clara issue. Because there’s some big backstory revelation (even bigger than the last reveal Faerber did a couple issues back) and it’s from Clara’s point of view. She even narrates some of it.

There are, as always, problems with Moss’s art. His composition is pretty spot on, which helps, especially once the action gets going, but the proportions are still inconsistent, the faces are still inconsistent.

The composition helps.

Copperhead keeps on going. Faerber keeps on getting through these story arcs, which sometimes seem a little unstable, and he gets them solid by the finish. Because Clara. It’s her book, after all.

CREDITS

Writer, Jay Faerber; artist, Drew Moss; colorist, Ron Riley; letterer, Thomas Mauer; publisher, Image Comics.

One of the most frustrating things about Copperhead is how effective it can be. This issue ends with one heck of a standoff and it’s kind of cheap, but it isn’t because Faerber has done so much work on the characters and their relationships it can’t be cheap.

This issue has the secret origins of Sheriff Clara. It’s also got some revelations about Zeke and Zeke’s dad. The B plot is the good guys trying to track Clara down. The B plot is where Faerber gets in all that Copperhead texture. Where it’s serious even though all the aliens are cute.

Moss’s art gets real hurried and real thin by the end of this issue. The scenes aren’t complicated. They’re just rushed. It starts early too. By the end of the book, it’s looking rough. Hopefully the art turns around. The writing can carry it but it’d be nice if it didn’t have to do so. Moss lets the expressions go and Copperhead needs its expressions.

I just hope the art’s back on for the next issue; Faerber makes a lot of promises for the next issue.

One of the most frustrating things about Copperhead is how effective it can be. This issue ends with one heck of a standoff and it’s kind of cheap, but it isn’t because Faerber has done so much work on the characters and their relationships it can’t be cheap.

This issue has the secret origins of Sheriff Clara. It’s also got some revelations about Zeke and Zeke’s dad. The B plot is the good guys trying to track Clara down. The B plot is where Faerber gets in all that Copperhead texture. Where it’s serious even though all the aliens are cute.

Moss’s art gets real hurried and real thin by the end of this issue. The scenes aren’t complicated. They’re just rushed. It starts early too. By the end of the book, it’s looking rough. Hopefully the art turns around. The writing can carry it but it’d be nice if it didn’t have to do so. Moss lets the expressions go and Copperhead needs its expressions.

I just hope the art’s back on for the next issue; Faerber makes a lot of promises for the next issue.

CREDITS

Writer, Jay Faerber; artist, Drew Moss; colorist, Ron Riley; letterer, Thomas Mauer; publisher, Image Comics.

Copperhead is back after a little longer than expected, particularly since last issue had a big cliffhanger. The issue’s good–with Faerber comfortably moving from character to character, hinting at reveals, doing reveals. This new arc has Sheriff Bronson in trouble and everyone banding together to help her. For one reason or another.

She’s not in the issue much, which is probably the biggest surprise, even if Faerber tries to pretend the closing revelation is somehow a showstopper. It’s not, but he’s already done well enough he can go out on it.

Moss’s art is a tad loose. Overly agitated might be the best description. His lines are a tad erratic, hurried maybe. It does make the comic read more immediately, which turns out to be a drawback given Faerber’s soft cliffhanger.

Copperhead is back after a little longer than expected, particularly since last issue had a big cliffhanger. The issue’s good–with Faerber comfortably moving from character to character, hinting at reveals, doing reveals. This new arc has Sheriff Bronson in trouble and everyone banding together to help her. For one reason or another.

She’s not in the issue much, which is probably the biggest surprise, even if Faerber tries to pretend the closing revelation is somehow a showstopper. It’s not, but he’s already done well enough he can go out on it.

Moss’s art is a tad loose. Overly agitated might be the best description. His lines are a tad erratic, hurried maybe. It does make the comic read more immediately, which turns out to be a drawback given Faerber’s soft cliffhanger.

CREDITS

Writer, Jay Faerber; artist, Drew Moss; colorist, Ron Riley; letterer, Thomas Mauer; publisher, Image Comics.

Faerber closes off the arc with an action thriller. The sheriff has got to find and apprehend a contract killer, but without enough information and without any backup. Why no backup? Because Mayor Boo is a bureaucrat now, not a deputy. And, of course, the subplot with Clara’s ex-husband hunting her down moves along. It’s a strange pairing, visually speaking; Moss’s sci-fi action chase is competent and maybe even more confident, but his Western sci-fi space showdown is far more ambitious, if loose. Copperhead‘s a little wobbly, it’s still a very solid book.

Faerber closes off the arc with an action thriller. The sheriff has got to find and apprehend a contract killer, but without enough information and without any backup. Why no backup? Because Mayor Boo is a bureaucrat now, not a deputy. And, of course, the subplot with Clara’s ex-husband hunting her down moves along. It’s a strange pairing, visually speaking; Moss’s sci-fi action chase is competent and maybe even more confident, but his Western sci-fi space showdown is far more ambitious, if loose. Copperhead‘s a little wobbly, it’s still a very solid book.

CREDITS

Writer, Jay Faerber; artist, Drew Moss; colorist, Ron Riley; letterer, Thomas Mauer; publisher, Image Comics.