Comic Review: The Wild Storm #15

The Wild Storm #15

DC Comics

Writer: Warren Ellis

Artist: Jon Davis-Hunt

It’s rare that I feel the need to start by talking about a comic’s art. Typically I prioritize story and character development over art and can normally glaze over a visual style that doesn’t interest me. The complete opposite has happened with The Wild Storm, however. The artwork has taken over and it is simply stunning, grotesque and more than a little horrifying at times, but stunning all the same.

In previous issues, the Wild Storm team have made bold moves by giving multiple pages to fight scenes with barely a hint of dialogue. This culminated in a seven-page sequence set in feudal Japan in which the only word featured was “ha.”

Now they are pacing themselves a little by spreading whole pages of art throughout the issue. It gives readers time to sit with some of the more disturbing and graphic images, while also letting them feel the characters reaction and emotions. This approach could easily backfire, but their images are just so striking that you can’t help but be drawn in.The best example of this is early on when Jack Hawksmoor’s new origin is revealed. It puts him at the center of this mad conflict and Jon Davis-Hunt creates some of the most visceral and excruciating scenes I’ve found in a comic. These are complemented by bright and powerful colors, provided by Steve Buccellato and John Kalisz, that would feel completely out of place if done by less talented colorists.

In contrast, IO and Skywatch continue to be represented by different shades of white. This reinforces their sterile and corporate identity whilst showing that despite how much they hate each other, they are essentially the same.

For those worried about a lack of content, it is compensated for a little by the compact use of panels in other scenes. However, there is simply no denying that it’s a less text-heavy issue than most comic books.

The story itself takes a lot of small steps but doesn’t progress as much as some fans may hope for. The tension between IO and Skywatch continues to escalate, with a new weapon of mass destruction being introduced, while former IO Director John Lynch tracks down another person that was involved in Thunderbook.

Each of the people changed by the incident seems to have dealt with it in their own way. This latest encounter is the most exciting yet. It’s full of tension and a testament to Ellis’s writing that Lynch manages to be compassionate, funny and an unflinching cut throat all in one scene.

There is one major bombshell revealed during Hawksmoor’s meeting with Li-Min Shen and Jenny Sparks as he begins to remember how he got his powers. It spells out things that were hinted at before but somehow still managed to leave me surprised by how disturbing the truth really was.

This is a run that has legs. The lack of plot progression may annoy some readers, but the series is turning into a science fiction epic. There is a vast cast of characters, connected by various threads and hopefully, it won’t end any time soon. Ellis’ characters ooze with charisma and are supported by biting and witty dialogue. When you combine that with an outstanding artistic partnership, the best thing to do is sit back and enjoy the ride.