One thing I love about the “Copperhead” series is that each new chapter provides the reader with an experience that differs from the preceding chapter and the one that will come after it. “Copperhead” #9 was similar in tone to a film like Stagecoach, in that we had a core group of characters from vastly different backgrounds forced together to achieve a specific goal. In that issue, Clara led a coalition of supporting characters she barely knew. The story culminated in her and her posse attempting to gain entry into ‘The Bastion,’ a criminal stronghold where Boo is being held captive. The issue ended with a cliffhanger in which, Floyd, a character she became enemies with in issue #5, recognized her and put the whole rescue mission in jeopardy.
Cover by Scott Godlewski
Written by Jay Faerber
Illustrated by Scott Godlewski
Colored by Ron Riley
Lettered by Thomas MauerThe conclusion of our second story arc, as Clara’s manhunt comes to an end.
First things first, we need to acknowledge the outstanding cover by Scott Godlweski and Ron Riley. The dominance of the bloodstained knife in the foreground creates an immediate sense of dread. Additionally, the image of Boo’s bloody body and a defiant Clara cradling her dying partner makes us fear for the fates of these beloved characters. Furthermore, Zolo’s looming shadow adds an air of menace and creates an expectation in the reader that a bloody showdown will ensue in the pages to come. The cover makes it seem like the main characters are doomed and thus the reading experience is filled with apprehension, or rather, a sense that we are marking time until things go south. Is this a clever misdirection by the creators?
The previous issue’s cliffhanger was resolved within the first page of “Copperhead” #10. Rather than drag out the conflict between Clara and Floyd, Jay Faerber and Godlewski wisely chose to rely on visual narrative to ease the tension between the characters. Godlweski’s talent for expressing emotion through his facial work is magnificently conveyed here. There are just 4 panels on this page and 2 of them are extreme close ups of Clara and Floyd’s faces. Putting aside the word balloons, a silent communication and understanding between them is expressed in a satisfactory manner.
The change in setting from the scorching desert of the previous issue to ‘The Bastion’ provides the artist with an opportunity to create panels packed with rich detail. Most scenes are set indoors. As a result, the penciling and inking rise up to the challenge of creating environments with limited light sources and deep shadows. In addition, the denizens of this town look dangerous. Even the local saloon is full of unsavory characters. It’s at this point that Faerber and Godlweski unveil an exciting sequence that showcases the familiar trope of the good guys entering the local watering hole to obtain information. In what may be the comic’s most impressive page, Godlweski packs most of the 7 panels with fighting patrons as Clara and her group walk in. As Ishmael struggles to obtain information, Clara casually wanders to the bar and orders a drink. In the midst of this chaos, Cletus’s eye guides the reader from panel to panel until the group obtains the intel they were looking for.
Meanwhile, Boo remains defiant even as his captors reveal their plan to get rid of him. This revelation serves 2 narrative purposes. Firstly, it gives the story a ticking clock element that ramps up the urgency for immediate rescue while at the same time, it provides the character with a sense of agency in his own attempts to free himself. Speaking of which, when the moment of execution arrives, Godlweski’s panel design is a masterclass on how to show suspense. He divides the panels into 2 sides of the page. The left reveals panels of Boo struggling to free himself of his chains while the right focuses on the bad guys preparing to kill him. The buildup of tension is effectively communicated to the reader as the eye anxiously glides from one side of the page to the other.
When the whole rescue mission is resolved, the reader is deceived into thinking that the narrative is coming to a tidy conclusion when story threads for the next arc are introduced. Hickory is still planning to undermine Sheriff Bronson and schemes to use Boo. Also, Lieutenant Ford, a man whose presence has been built up over the last couple of issues, finally arrives in town. Finally, and most intriguingly, Clara shows up at the Mayor’s office only to find his corpse. Who murdered him and why? Is Hickory part of this? These and other tantalising questions are posed as we await the next exciting installment of the “Copperhead” saga.
