Faerber plays loose with the pacing in this issue of Copperhead. He’s going for reader pleasure, not being tied to the characters. The sheriff is out to rescue Deputy Boo from some outlaws; Faerber shows her determination, but it isn’t the story. He’s all about the storytelling mechanics and how they relate to the reader’s experience.

It doesn’t hurt Godlewski gets in a bunch of background detail. Even though there’s nary a subplot seen in this issue–until the end, setting up the cliffhanger–and the supporting cast really doesn’t do much but tag along, Godlewski gives them visual weight. There’s a lot of visual repetition too; Godlewski doesn’t want anyone getting lost.

This issue is also one of the most “Western.” Besides the aliens and laser guns, it’s just a Western. Faerber uses Copperhead’s revisionism (the female sheriff, the context of bigotry against alien species) to provide a large stage for a small story. It’s incredibly assured, incredibly controlled and an entirely awesome read.

Faerber does another Western standard this issue and it’s yet another success for Copperhead. The sheriff is leading a posse (her, three androids, one of the native guys–I think he’s a native guy, I can’t remember) to rescue Boo. It’s a standard Western. Only the androids have their own thing going on–two are bodyguards, one is the loner who’s been in the series hanging out and helping out.

And the sheriff’s human. And a woman. Faerber doesn’t mention those last two details; to make it work, he has to bake it into the comic. He does. With Godlewski’s expressions–not exactly detail to faces, but considered expressions–there’s os much to the posse’s hunt.

The sheriff isn’t the flashiest character in most of the issues, but she’s still the protagoni:ccst. Faerber is deliberate with how he showcases her. She’s responsibly reckless.

Copperhead continues to be a great read.

It’s an interesting issue of Copperhead. The opening has the off-world villain (the sheriff’s ex-husband?) escaping and its complications, but then Faerber spends the rest of the issue with Deputy Boo.

The rest of the issue belongs to the outlaws and Deputy Boo. They’ve kidnapped him, they’re setting a trap for the sheriff, there’s a lot of banter and desert high speed travel. Godlewski does a fine job with all of it and Faerber’s conversations are good, it’s just a little slow. Boo’s too comfortable as a secondary character. He’s not even the lead in an issue without the sheriff.

When Faerber does get to the soft cliffhanger, it’s clear he could’ve compressed the issue a bit and not lost anything. There’s no pay-off for Boo (or the reader), even though Faerber hints at it throughout.

It’s a fine enough issue of Copperhead, just a bridging one.

I resent this issue of Copperhead being so good. It’s an all-action issue, it probably reads in four or five minutes. Clara goes on a date, it gets interrupted by bad guys. Boo is in trouble. There’s some setup–with Faerber maybe even implying Clara’s ex-husband is in a maximum security prison somewhere–and then it’s just the date.

And it works. It works really well. Godlewski draws a fantastic action sequence when the bad guys show up (it’s actually the first time Copperhead, for all its successes, has had an excellent action sequence).

But it’s so short. It’s all setup for the cliffhanger resolution, which probably won’t take the whole next issue just because it’s an action-oriented standoff.

But it’s so good.

The little character moments for Boo and Clara are both good and the first part of her date’s really funny.

Copperhead continues its awesomeness.

It’s a new arc for Copperhead and Faerber’s off to a strong start.

The story moves ahead a bit–Clara and Boo are partners, Zeke’s got a babysitter and a secret friend in the fugitive android. There’s futuristic action in Western themes, there’s a lot of texture in the joining of sci-fi and Western in Godlewski’s art–Copperhead is working. Even if Godlewski’s full last pages are still a bad idea. Faerber’s attention to character detail is paying off. Even when it’s a gradual buildup, the comic feels worthwhile. Faerber’s not using accrued goodwill to get through this slow, first act issue, he’s still accruing more of it.

All of the elements play well together–female sheriff, Western town, sci-fi elements, single parent. Copperhead is perfectly arranged and it’s nice to see Faerber has a way of continuing the comic. Hopefully for quite some time and many issues.