Severed #5 – Review

By: Scott Snyder & Scott Tuft (writers), Attila Futaki (art), Greg Guilhaumond (colors) & Fonografiks (letters)

The Story: A little boy is unwittingly on the road with a horrible cannibal monster posing as a traveling salesman.

Five Things: [With SPOILERS]

1. Creepy impending sense of doom pervades this book – This series did such a clever thing by showing the little boy as an adult in the first issue.  He was clearly missing an arm and this whole series is kinda, “Grandpa, tell us a story about how you lost your arm” vibe to it.  So, the reader knows that the arm is coming off at some point.  We just don’t know when or how it will happen.  Further, it looks highly likely that Jack (the little boy) will get attacked by this cannibal dude at some point, but we don’t know when the shoe will drop.  So, every scene before a page turn that shows something ominous really builds the anticipation.  Oh god! They’re going into a dark house!  Oh god! He drugged his water!  Oh god! He’s going to slam the hood of the car on his arm!  It’s quite well done and it’s hard to think of a comic that has effectively carried this sense of tension for as long as this creative team has.

2. Miss the little girl – It’s hard not to miss Jack’s budding-girlfriend/traveling companion, Sam.  She was such a neat character and had become so well developed in just a few issues that her absence is felt.  Clearly, she had to go away to get to this point where Jack is truly alone with the bad guy, but she’s still missed.  Maybe that’s just a testament to what a great character she was?

3. What’s this cannibal up to? – It’s really hard to figure out what this man is up to.  Perhaps he isn’t hungry yet because he just ate a few days ago?  In that case, perhaps it’s easier to just keep Jack around and alive (as opposed to killing/butchering and keeping the pieces in a freezer).  But, it almost seems like he’s taking on a fatherly role towards Jack.  The thing that makes this comic so great is that you know that something will happen.  But, we also know that it probably won’t be a straightforward ending with the cannibal gnawing Jack’s arm off with Jack miraculously escaping.  Something weird will happen involving Jack, the cannibal and perhaps Jack’s real father and it’s going to be really fun to watch it unfold.

WCBR’s Top Picks

Dean’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Avenging Spider-Man #2 – This was a quality comic, but it did kinda surprise me that it was the “best”.  But, all the other comics had some obvious flaws and it wasn’t a very heavy week for me anyway.  So….backhanded compliment is concluded.  You could summarize this issue as: Zeb Wells is writing a very fast-paced and humorous Spidey/Rulk team-up and Joe Madureira is drawing the hell out of it.  Great stuff!  Runner-up: Glamourpuss #22 – Dave Sim’s art is always gorgeous (No shit….it is great, great stuff), but this comic leaves me conflicted: He’s either a genius or he’s crazier than a bag full of weasels.  Maybe both?

Most Anticipated: The Walking Dead #92 – I was pretty hard on issue #91, but in the last few weeks I’ve mellowed.  Surely Robert Kirkman is just starting to build things up towards issue #100, right?  I think what made me excited for this issue was reading the solicit text for the issue #94 (currently in Previews).  Usually TWD’s solicit text just says something like, “He has gone too far!” or “How will they survive?” so some other vague nonsense.  But for issue #94 it says, “As the ramp up to the monumental 100th issue continues, Rick and his group are led into new territory, with new rules, new advantages and new threats.  Can they survive in this larger, changed world?”  That sounds like a TWD story I want to read and hopefully this mystery man who appeared at the end of last issue is going to lead us there.

Other Picks: American Vampire #21, Batwoman #4, Unwritten #32, Snake-Eyes #8, Blue Estate #8, Severed #5, Avengers X-Sanction #1, SHIELD #4, Atomic Robo: Ghost of Station X #4

Alex’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Moon Knight #8 – While there may have been technically better books this week, this month’s issue of Moon Knight was rock solid, and particularly important for the series.  After a very mediocre beginning, it’s been steadily improving and now, with this month’s issues, I can safely say that Bendis and Maleev’s Moon Knight has found its groove.  It’s a solid book and Bendis and Maleev are really beginning to live up to their potential on this series.

Most Anticipated: Journey into Mystery #632 – First off:  look at that cover.  Wow! That said, there’s really only one thing you need to know: this is a Kid Loki Christmas issue.  Frankly, that is something that just NEEDs to exist, and with Gillen’s penchant in this series for both fun and heartfelt writing, I’m sure this is going to be a homerun.  I’ve often found holiday issues to be a bit gimmicky, but Journey into Mystery seems absolutely perfect for a Christmas issue.

Other Picks: Batwoman #4, Demon Knights #4, Frankenstein: Agent of SHADE #4, American Vampire #21, New Avengers #19, Green Lantern #4

DS’ Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: The Defenders #1 – Seeing the Defenders back together after so long was fun and tipped the scale for me on best of the week. The art was great and the writing quirky. Let’s see where Marvel takes this.

Most Anticipated: Warlord of Mars #13 – Oh yeah! Warlord of Mars #13 is the start of the Gods of Mars! John Carter will return to Barsoom, but not in his old stomping grounds, but in the polar regions of the dead, where he will be pitted against the deadly plant men and run into some dear friends in terrible danger!

Other Picks: Avengers: X-Sanction #1, Avengers 1959 #4, Captain America #6, Journey Into Mystery #632, Magneto Not a Hero #2