Over the last year, Kate Kristopher has dealt with dimension-splitting dragons, triceratops-riding foxy assassins, rocket wielding lizard creatures, enormous mountain dream kings, an unexpected extended family that shouldn’t exist, and now, her mother and the secret society she runs. Joe Keatinge and Leila del Duca bring the first year of their magnificent series to a close by doubling down on everything that makes “Shutter” so special.
Written by Joe Keatinge
Illustrated by Leila del Duca
Year One of the critically acclaimed series comes to an explosive end in a massive cover-to-cover story promising to change the way you’ve viewed every single issue up ’til now. Really. I mean, look, you’re rolling your eyes, because people say that all the time, but this month it’s actually true, especially when we give you the startling answer to the series’ biggest question: WHO IS KATE KRISTOPHER?
When we last left off, Kate and her crazy sister, Kalliyan, had just escaped from the literal clutches of Kate’s dream king uncle, only to be abducted by a group of hooded figures, led by Kate’s mother. This issue resolves the Kate Kristopher in Slumberland adventure, sets up the future trajectory of the series, but mostly reflects back on Kate’s journey to really hammer home her concluding decision.
“Shutter” has always been an unabashedly weird. We’ve seen cute animal assassins, bizarre creatures, and a world whose relationship to physics is somewhat suspect. Yet, the series has never been that interested in exploring that weirdness. I think part of the reason “Shutter” works so well is that the characters accept the world they exist in. They’re part of it. It has a lived in feeling, sort of like how it was in the first Star Wars movies. It’s more wondrous and fantastic for us because it’s a world we’ve never experienced before, but it never bogs down the story or becomes too self-referential by the characters addressing it.
And while the world is insane, the story itself doesn’t feel the same way. For all its weirdness, “Shutter” has centered around Kate’s interpersonal relationships. Keatinge has done well to keep this series focused on her actions, reactions, and decisions as she’s discovered more information about her immediate family as well as her place within them. He has devoted the last eleven issues toward bringing Kate to this position of finally waking up out of her funk and leaping into action, and the results here are satisfying and exciting. He’s achieved a sort of balance so that even segments like the middle part, which has a distinct “previously on” feel, work well into weaving themselves in the overarching narrative.
It also helps that Keatinge, along with del Duca, have assembled this fantastic team to help bring their vision to life.
Much was made when John Workman, of “The Mighty Thor” fame, agreed to take on the lettering job, and he’s continuously proven himself a master of the craft with his work here: strong, tight, and tall letters peppered with incredible sound effects that rattle and quake and rumble. “Shutter” has never been a quiet book, but with the action and revelations going on in this issue, Workman’s work comes off like when Estelle finally sang in Steven Universe. You just have to appreciate an old school professional just doing what he does best. It’s like artisan lettering or something.
Owen Gieni continues to color the piece, with his just slightly desaturated palette that helps extend the horizon line and give the book a sort of dirty look that’s never off-putting and always atmospheric. I think one of the most obvious places of his talent is in the Prospero chambers, filled with these vibrant reds made more terrifying by objects like the neutrally colored throne of skulls. Gieni isn’t flashy or overly enthusiastic with his choices, and he knows how to serve them to delivering the narrative and helping keep our attention focused.
But it’s Leila del Duca who’s the real star of the series. She’s consistently captured all the insanity that makes up this world and renders it in a manner that’s always comprehensible and intriguing. She’s proven herself game for basically anything Keatinge throws at her, and she delivers it with aplomb and emtotion. A terrifying chamber of secret societies? Sells it. Giant, cyborg animal assassins? Nails it. A father and daughter who clearly love each other dearly looking at a rocket ship and reflecting on all the potential adventures they’ll have together? 100%. Her blocking favors characters over world, never bringing them out of it, and again helping sell us to any place Kate and company wander through.
Continued below“Shutter” #12 finds all four of these creators hitting a harmonious balance that makes this book one of the most enjoyable and fun reads.
But, as it says in one of the last double-page spreads, we’ve reached an end of an act. So how does this serve as an ending? There remain a metric ton of mysteries that still need to be dealt with, including some late revelations in this issue, so there’s slight feeling that this book has finally started running, but as long as del Duca and Keatinge maintain their passion and enthusiasm and devotion to their characters, this series can’t help but be fantastic.
Final Verdict: 8.8 – An engaging series kept exciting by a creative team who are totally okay with being themselves.
