The Good
I am such a big fan of Bernard Chang's art on this series. He is one of the more consistent artists working in comics; never sacrificing detail in his panels, and he proves that he is incredibly skilled in this issue. Beyond the fact that the anatomy of the characters is simply perfect, he also does a wonderful job capturing the mystical tone of the book. He is really a perfect fit and does some very impressive work here.
Some of the concepts introduced by writer Robert Venditti in the last issue of this series are brought up again towards the end of the comic. Some of the ideas from the beginning of issue #16 resurface and are brought to light in a way that is interesting.
There is definitely a lot of talking and character development in this issue, and I actually really enjoyed that. I like the fact that Venditti can not only write an actual action scene, but he is also able to execute a verbal debate in an interesting way. The scene between Vandal Savage and Exoristos in particular is especially fun.
The issue ends on a cliff hanger, leaving readers wondering is Jason and Etrigan will actually reunite, or whether the two will remain apart. Vandal's role in this series is interesting and the ending will definitely leave you wondering what the greater role and purpose of these new characters will be to the overall story.
The Bad
Nothing bad here. This issue is a lot of fun.
The Verdict
I really enjoyed the way this issue is structured. It opens with Etrigan, moves forward and delves into other characters before non chalantly bringing the relationship between Jason and Etrigan back into focus once again. I think the fact that Venditti did this so discretely is what made the story more fun to read. The layout was great and very organized: reading this I could tell exactly where Venditti's beats are . He definitely had some things he wanted to accomplish in this issue and he did so, but not without leaving some loose ends and cliff hangers for fans of this series to look forward to in the coming issues. The issue is very well written, Venditti gets these characters and knows their respective voices and he is clearly weaving a story that is engaging and fun for both old and new readers alike. This is also a great jumping on point for anyone interested in diving in.
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