Writer: Greg Rucka / Artist: Michael Lark / Image Comics
The Cull storyline continues this month, but with a lot more focus placed inside the family compared to the drama happening out on the battlefield. While the book begins with some excellent Family on Family violence, the book zeroes in on what has been brewing since the very beginning: Forever’s relationship to the family as she has learned the truth. Well, some of it anyway. What is dizzying and quite brilliant actually, is that if you are a fan of Forever Carlyle (and of course you are) then you completely empathize with her feeling of betrayal and abandonment. And you don’t want he replaced.
But you also can’t fault the “next” Forever waiting in the wings because at this point she’s just a child, so rooting against her is difficult as well. It is a complicated web the Carlyle family weaves as they have to make decisions regarding Forever and her wavering loyalty and doubt. We may also get an answer to who has been sending these texts to Forever that put her on this path of doubt in the first place. The long game being used to gain Forever’s trust could prove huge in some surprising ways. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that the non-Carlyle bits are great too as we see another head of a family fall…literally [gulp].
Which is where Lark comes in by portraying the action sequences in such brutal and appropriate fashion. The assassination scene that bookends the book mostly are excellent in their efficiency and effect. I love the balance between showing the Lazari as super powered but not necessarily superhuman. It plays out like a slightly hyperbolic action sequence of a summer blockbuster, which is a good aim.
The Cull is in full effect. Forever gets closer to knowing the full truth and another family gets cleared off the map. Things will only get heavier from here.
Show Comments