Three big things happen this issue. One is the semi-hard cliffhanger, another is the conclusion to the mystery, and the last is Eduardo Ferigato’s continued art assists. Ferigato, whatever he does, is a perfect pair for Reis. Hadrian’s Wall has always had excellent art, but Reis and Ferigato together give it a somewhat different look. Frizzy lines. It changes the energy of the book, just as Higgins and Siegel’s script changes up too. The pacing is different, more intense; the characters now have to synthesize to respond to the new situations. The book might just end a lot better than originally forecasted. One to go.
Three big things happen this issue. One is the semi-hard cliffhanger, another is the conclusion to the mystery, and the last is Eduardo Ferigato’s continued art assists. Ferigato, whatever he does, is a perfect pair for Reis. Hadrian’s Wall has always had excellent art, but Reis and Ferigato together give it a somewhat different look. Frizzy lines. It changes the energy of the book, just as Higgins and Siegel’s script changes up too. The pacing is different, more intense; the characters now have to synthesize to respond to the new situations. The book might just end a lot better than originally forecasted. One to go.
And another surprising turn of events. Higgins and Siegel were holding out, setting up a soap opera crime melodrama when they really had something else. The flashbacks are now slightly annoying, only because they feel like backstory Higgins and Siegel are doing out of obligation rather than dramatic gristle. They’re explanations of events discussed multiple times in exposition; exposition could’ve gotten the “truth” across as well. Reis has some help on the art–Eduardo Ferigato–and I’m curious where Ferigato came in. There’s some talking heads stuff and it’s okay, but it’s far from dynamic. Though Reis never does lengthy talking heads particularly well. But Hadrian’s Wall still has some surprises in store. It’s a good series. Higgins and Siegel might be in the victory lap with two to go.
Hadrian’s Wall runs eight issues. Why did I think it was five issues? I might have even thought it was four at some point. Needless to say, there’s a lot more story coming in this issue. A lot more backstory too. The detective is in a prolonged state of withdrawal, which sort of changes the flashbacks–if they’re occurring to him as they occur to the reader–but not a lot. It’s a smooth issue. Gets the rebel pirates introduced, puts these characters in this place; it’s a positioning issue. Higgins and Siegel are rearranging the board. Good art from Reis as always, but there’s not a lot for him to do. The settings are visually boring, actually.
I have no idea what just happened. I mean, I do. Higgins and Siegel are straightforward writers, even when they’re doing flashbacks and big reveals in quick sequence. But it has a strange plot development for the first issue of the back three. And while there are flashbacks to Earth, all of a sudden Reis’s art feels more claustrophobic. As the stakes raise for the characters finally, it’s like the book’s visually closing in. It’s a good issue with some excellent work from Reis.
Hadrian’s Wall just got somewhere very unexpected. It’s not clear if the writers are going to take the unexpected route or the familiar, but it’s an impressive narrative development. The issue’s methodical, which works, especially given the art. Reis has a great flow to the interrogation scenes.