Die #7
Image Comics
Writer: Kieron Gillen
Artist: Stephanie Hans
Die, #7 picks up the other half of the story readers left behind after the dramatic conclusion of the first arc. Since that sequence of events all transpired way back in #6, some months ago, recall Chuck “the fool” and Isabelle, or Izzy, “the godbinder.” Both decide to stay in the land of DIE, though for different reasons. This #7 sheds light on these characters’ motives.
Story:
Izzy can barely hold it together. She journals about the debt she owes to the gods. Sure, she might be a godbinder, but that comes with a price, one that will someday need to be repaid. The problem is, she just keeps asking more of the beings above, and when Chuck acts like–well, like Chuck–a complete asshole, Izzy calls in another favor from the Mistress of Woe. The consequences are unintended and perhaps catastrophic.
Character:
Chuck is a hotshot novelist (if there is such a thing). He lives the high life. He’s the comic book version of Bukowski; philosophical, incorrigible, and despicable. He is solipsism personified. Only believing in himself, his experiences and none of what he is told by others, no matter how complex they seem. Izzy, on the other hand, is hyperaware of others’ feelings, wants, and needs. She believes in right and wrong, good and evil, almost to a fault. It is why she believes in the world of DIE as much as she believes in her own world. How these two people work together, play off each other, is the bones, meat, and skin of this issue. It’s as touching as it is infuriating.
Art:
The art in this issue is more contained than in prior ones. Mostly, this is due to a high number of scenes and panels depicting interactions between characters inside traveling tents. However, this doesn’t decrease the scope of the issue at all. Many pannels are close-up face-shots, both of Izzy and Chuck. This closeness makes sense for both these characters, though for different reasons. Chuck, only caring about his own thoughts, feelings, and desires fills panels on his own. After all, he’s the center of his own personal universe. On the other hand, Izzy feels the closeness because she’s under an enormous amount of pressure. Readers are the eyes of the people she leads. Eyes she cannot escape. The paneling is also as diverse as could be hoped, and could even be a textbook example of how a 5-panel page can vary and never feel repetitive. I took notes.
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Die #7
A close look at the other side of the DIE coin. While Chuck is the most obnoxious character, he's also the one who has the most potential to grow and so learning about him is interesting as well as cringe-worthy. Izzy is a little more straight forward, but her magical powers are so cool readers will want to know where they lead.
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