Vescell # 8 Review

 

 

 “We are the adopted children of a land that wants us to prove our worth."

Before I start , I want to say I’ve been waiting for this issue to come out for a year. I am a huge fan of this series, its characters, and world. Written and created by Enrique Carrion It’s almost as if the Blade Runner universe collided with Middle Earth and added a black 007 for good measure. I love the positive portrayal of people of color in this book as well as the use of lyricism as dialogue. That being said I was excited to get my hands on this book, which continued a story started in issue two. We open with our hero Maurico “Moo” Barrino who is called up by the finest assassin in comics Artaya, who bares a striking resemblance to Amber rose, to assist her in completing a job. What follows is the story of a man who discovers that just because you want to save someone doesn’t mean they want to be saved.

Carrion continues to spin a great tale laden with intrigue, insight and sensuality that uses hip-hop’s lyrical verse to convey character inner thoughts. Maurcio continues to be compelling and relatable despite being a gun toting, magic wielding bad ass, constantly surrounded by gorgeous women. This issue resonated personally with me in that attempting to turn a harlot into a nun tends to go very poorly and eventually you just end up looking foolish. The supporting ladies in Maurico’s life play their roles very well Artaya providing sharp-tongued comedy. L.t. Vanessa Vega continues to be the hard ass foil whose sexual tension with Moo is almost palpable and Avery his constant reason for risking his life. The interactions between Moo and his fairy guardian Machi are especially interesting as she continues to be his moral compass, physical companion and support system. This issue illustrates the weight of their physical intimacy and even though Moo is searching for his lost love Avery it’s becoming more obvious that what he needs is right under his nose.

John “Roc” Upchurch does a phenomenal job giving characters definition and a subdued color that fits this sci-fi epic like a glove. All of his designs are what help make the world what it is, which is why I was a bit upset after page twenty. Lorenzo Nuti’s art style on the transition pages of 21 and 22 work well with the events taking place however the switch to Dave Acosta’s pencils and Chris Pyrate’s colors are jarring. Pages 23-48 are a bit of a downgrade from Upchurch’s style and the artist’s ability to convey story is very hit or miss while the last page seems rushed and confusing. The last issue I had is the comic ending with “ To be continued in trade paperback.” which worries me about the future of this great title. Vecesll is available in digital format on Comixology or in paper format at your local comic shop. If you’re not reading it already go get it, now.

Rating 4 out of 5.