Comic Review: Bitter Root #12

Image Comics

Writers: David F. Walker & Chuck Brown

Artist: Sanford Greene

Letters: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou

Bitter Root #12, like all previous issues, invokes the sentiment (if not the exact words) of James Baldwin in his short “Future of America” monologue. “What white people have to do,” says Baldwin, “is try to find out, in their own hearts, why it was necessary to have a [N-word] in the first place. Because I am not a [N-word], I am a man, but if you think I am a [N-word], it means you need it.” Bitter Root portrays the sentiment of this quote, time and again. This comic gives an image to the demon of white America. It is timely, well-written, and beautifully illustrated.

Words matter. They have power over how we perceive and process the world. They shape the narratives we have of people, places, and things. A tree is only a tree if it exhibits the qualities we know of trees. A human is human when they exhibit qualities that we attribute to humanity at its most humane moments. Bitter Root #12, is the story of a person pushed beyond the limits of humanity. Faced with hate, death, and a hopeless future, even good people with well-intent become monsters.

While put in hopeless situations, good people may resort to terrible means, monsters too may find redemption. The ensemble cast of Bitter Root portrays a family in the transition of leadership, broken by means but united by a goal. The Sangerye family is a constant reminder of how complex familial relationships are, of how hurtful families can often be to one another, but also the great power families have when they accept each other as individuals and work together toward a common goal. From the reluctant leader to the misled investigator, the Sangerye family is on the brink of discovering the true nature of the fight–if only they forgave one another.

The art and letters of this comic have always been a strength, and this latest issue is no different. Speech balloons are placed intuitively for readers, paneling is varied and often overlapped and unconventional shapes and sizes. Nothing feels repeated. The character design and color pallet strike that tone 1920s genre, mixed with steampunk and magic overtones. The letters themselves are easy on the eyes and stylistically immersive. The captioned dialogue, complete with a color side-tab demarks attribution to a specific character that could have been ambiguous otherwise. All be told a satisfying and thoughtful issue. Welcome back, Bitter Root.