Once again, Clara is the subject of a “Copperhead” cover. Perfectly framed by a doorway, we see her looking directly at the camera with a crescent moon visible in the background. It’s a romantic image and creates a sense of anticipation that this installment will further explore the romantic story arc established in the previous issue. Further reading reveals that this is a clever misdirection.
Written by Jay FaerberCover by Scott Godlewski
Illustrated by Scott Godlewski
Colored by Ron Riley
Lettered by Thomas MauerSheriff Clara Bronson goes on a date with handsome schoolteacher Thaddeus Luken, unaware that a gang of vicious outlaws are headed straight for Copperhead.
“Copperhead” #7 opens on the lunar prison seen at the end of issue #5. A spectacular establishing shot of the building showcases the obsidian, monolithic architecture of this penitentiary. It seems like a dreary place where people are sent to be punished and forgotten. In a drab room, a woman prepares to interview an inmate who we discover is the same man glimpsed two issues ago. We learn that he is Clara’s former husband, Clay, and he is about to spill the beans on everything he knows about Copperhead’s new Sheriff.
After such an ominous beginning, the scene shifts to the streets of Copperhead where Boo is on patrol. Unfortunately for him, he is surrounded and captured by the criminals seen at the end of “Copperhead” #6. It is at this moment that the comic becomes a Hitchcockian suspense story. The creators have succeeded in creating an exquisite sense of escalating tension as the reader becomes aware of the impending danger that is rapidly approaching Clara and her new companion. The night time setting also provides ample opportunity for interesting lighting and inking. The moody compositions are some of the best in the series so far.
Meanwhile, Clara’s date doesn’t seem to be going as smoothly as she hoped. As Thaddeus tells her about himself, we see that she is barely paying attention. When the conversation turns to her, we get a small hint of her backstory when we learn that she had to get away from her ex after he made life difficult for her and Zeke. This information provides some motivation for why Clay seems to be working against Clara in the first scene. Still oblivious to the danger she’s in, the couple proceed to his place.
Upon arrival at Thaddeus’s modest home, we see the first sex scene in this series. And frankly, it was tastefully done. The cool blue hues of the night transition to the carnal purples inside Thaddeus’s house. 8 panels on this page are devoted to shots of passionate kisses, hands taking off various items of clothing, even Clara lustfully biting on Thaddeus’s lower lip.
While we are distracted by this erotic display, Zolo, the leader of the band of outlaws, breaks his brother Nestor out of the holding cell he was put in by Clara. The latter is hellbent on revenge and convinces his brother to assist him in getting even with her. This ratchets up the tension even more when we cut back to Thaddeus’s house. The reader experiences an unbearable sense of dramatic irony — we know what’s coming and feel powerless to stop it. The visual storytelling here is remarkable. 4 panels guide the eye by using scattered clothing items strewn from the front hall and up the staircase to reveal a dimly lit panel of the couple making love. Silhouettes are also used for profile close ups of Clara. The total effect is stunning and within the limitations of the Teen rating.
The tension that’s been rising from the moment of Boo’s capture erupts when Clara senses the presence of intruders in the house and proceeds to defend herself. With the odds firmly against her, armed men open fire at her in a thrilling page that starts the first use of sound effects in this issue. As bullets whiz past her, Clara ducks into the bedroom and locks the door. Things get worse when she discovers that all communication has been cut off and that Thaddeus is useless in a fight. When the intruders eventually get in, Clara gets some much needed support from Ishmael who provides sniper rifle cover from an elevated position outside. The spectacular page where he blew a guy’s brains out used just 3 panels and provided a moment of relief when Clara was in danger. The first panel was merely broken glass and a sound effect followed by a larger panel of a bullet entering one side of the guy’s head and emerging on the other with blood and brain matter. The panel at the bottom was a reaction shot of the other people in the room.
Godlewski composes his shots with the pacing of an action director. A gunfight between Clara and the remaining intruder is rendered like a John Woo movie. As the 2 exchange fire, the scene culminates in 2 panels, separated by a thick black gutter that doubles as a wall between the characters in separate rooms. Clara wins the fight but is wounded and requires Thaddeus’s assistance. As Clara radios Boo for help, we see him badly beaten and bound in the back of his cruiser. An ominous image made even more unbearable by a gang member who hangs up Boo’s talker leaving the fate of our characters in a state of peril. As with previous installments, this cliffhanger is a splash page and very effective in making the reader clamour for the next chapter.
