In the latest issue of “Revival”, writer Tim Seeley and artist Mike Norton’s tale of the living dead remains fresh and inventive from the book’s memorably gruesome imagery to its compelling mystery that continues to unfold. With its large cast of diverse and fully realized characters, Seeley’s narrative is never unwieldy. He’s able to juggle intertwining story threads and relationships, with Norton’s art and Mark Englert’s colors contributing to the haunting atmosphere that transforms the story into something that much more perfectly bold and emotional.
Written by Tim Seeley
Illustrated by Mike NortonDana gets dangerously close to the killer stalking black market organ thieves in NYC. Ibrahaim gets even closer to the terrible origins of the scarred hitman.
A new reader to the series could not jump on with this issue without being confused, so it’s highly recommended that they grab the trades and catch up. To see the tapestry that Seeley and Norton are weaving is truly amazing and awe-inspiring. These are expert storytellers telling an intricate yet not at all difficult to follow horror/mystery that can be enjoyed by all (except for the very young and squeamish, of course). Seeley and Norton able to juggle every story thread from previous issues (and there are several of them) in a divine fashion.
In this latest issue, Officer Dana Cypress is still attempting to deduce the mystery behind the “revivers” who, in her hometown of Wausau, Wisconsin, die and then are resurrected. With her sister Em being one of these revivers, Dana has a great personal stake in figuring out why only people in her small town are affected by this mysterious disease. No matter what horrendous things may befall them, these revivers refuse to die. By having Dana travel to New York and assist the F.B.I., Seeley has broadened the scope of the story, with the change of scenery giving Norton a chance to shine within a city setting, instead of solely in a rural one.
“Revival” #22 proves this title is not only one of the best horror comics being released today, but one of the best monthly comics being released period. Like the best stories in the horror genre, this book is not simply a gore fest, but stokes the fears of anyone who has been, or is, afraid of the unknown and the unexplained (which, of course, is all of us). When grisly or unexplainable events occur on the page, they have much more of an impact because the world and its inhabitants created by Seeley and Norton feel intensely real.
In “Revival”, that realism is reflected in the diverse cast, which includes people of different races, religions, political leanings and levels of (in)sanity. The main character is not only a strong woman, but a strong yet flawed character. Dana is a real person who continues to struggle with worries and family issues that are very familiar. New characters are introduced in this issue, such as a psychic and a secret cabal (which adds a shocking yet delightfully twisted aspect to the story), that only serve to make the plot continue to build with suspense and become even more complex. With both old and new characters in this issue, Seeley is still surprising his loyal readership.
Norton also continues to surprise with his art in this issue. The action and rare horrific reveals are more pronounced because of Norton’s boldly choreographed art. Norton takes Seeley’s script for this issue and transforms realistically jarring scenes into gruesomely gorgeous ones. When a certain panel containing a car and a body is viewed by the reader, I guarantee you will feel as if the action has occurred right in front of your very face. Englert’s colors give this scene an added hide-your-eyes impact. With the cliffhanger at the end, Norton leaves nothing to the imagination in a particularly gory and explicit splash page. With the most mundane of affairs happening in the background of this final page, Norton adds another chilling aspect to a scene that promises even more horror in the next issue.
Even though Norton is expert at depicting the gory goings-on mentioned previously, he also elicits feelings of disgust from the reader in scenes where events are not explicitly shown. In one of the most uncomfortable scenes in the entire run of “Revival” (your imagination can run wild here; nothing is out of bounds with this book), a particular action is so outrageous that it demands to be performed “off-camera”. I squirmed as I saw Em’s reaction, which is exactly how any sane person would react after imagining what is most assuredly going on off-panel. We can infer that it’s something quite heinous by the anger and disgust coming through quite powerfully through Em’s reaction.
Continued belowAs shown through that reaction, the characters also come alive on the page because of Norton’s highly expressive art. The background of most scenes in this issue are uncluttered, allowing the focus to be placed on Norton’s gorgeous facial expressions for each individual. The art that Norton lays out on the page matches perfectly with Seeley’s dialogue. Even without reading a word of that dialogue, one can easily guess what each character is experiencing in a scene, no matter how dramatic or mundane. When Dana comes to a sudden realization in an F.B.I. office, her eyes and brow impeccably express that light bulb going off. A scene of passion between two characters contains panels of varying degrees of ecstasy. In yet another scene, this time at Lester Majak’s home, the facial expressions of his friend betray emotions of pity and sadness for a grieving Majak.
In one of the most mysterious and supernatural scenes of “Revival” #22, the addition of Englert’s colors adds an otherworldly aura that’s especially unique to this issue. When Ibrahaim Ramin visits a psychic, the color pink is used for powerful effect. The world of “Revival” is not known for its intense colors. Yet in this scene, there is exceptional use of the color pink when it bleeds and fades from one panel to another. With the introduction of this intriguing new character, the psychic is distinctly depicted as different from any of the other characters introduced so far in this book.
If there is one complaint to be had about this book, it would be the continuing build-up of the mystery behind the revivers, yet that’s also what makes this book such a powerful one. In this most recent issue, Dana experiences something that deepens the mystery, while Em’s relationship with a reviver reaches a sickening turning point. If the mystery of the revivers is solved anytime soon, then Seeley and Norton will be that much closer to ending this intricately built series. The suspense and the slow build has proven to be a success. The characters inhabiting this book are fleshed out, complex, and very real.
I hope this book has a long run, and if this issue is any indication, there are imminent shocks and surprises (as well as characters) yet to come.
Final Verdict: 9.0 – “Revival” is one of the best books being published by Image and one of the best books being published, period. With their twenty-second issue, Seeley, Norton, and Englert have crafted an issue with ingredients that were in their previous twenty-one: originality, heart (literally and figuratively), and horror of the highest degree.
