wessaari's Talon #8 - Don't be Afraid of the Dark review

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    Talon #8

    WARNING THERE BE SPOILERS!!!

    Calvin Rose is freaking dead. End of story, or is it? James has said that there would be some game changers in his titles, and this is one heck of a game changer. This series is continuing so soemthing must be up, and it is an exciting time to be reading this book. New artist and a new direction definitely makes this a must read, but on to the review!!!

    THE GOOD:

    This book has been treading an average for a while now, and with last issue's dramatic ending, it is time to see what comes of it. Last week, James had some trouble with his Red Hood title; I really hope you don't hold that against him this week, because this issue was astounding. There have been a lot of questions as to where this book will go, and for a while I was nervous due to the solicits. As of now, everything makes sense, and I couldn't be more happy to have this in my pull. This book now has a truly solid driving force and with the potential danger that Calvin's loved ones face, and his new powers awakened in his resurrection, it seems as though things will be staying on edge for a while. The twist that James has pulled has definitely worked in his favor and now the crossover with B.O.P. doesn't seem so scary anymore.

    Miguel Sepulveda takes over art duties, and he definitely captures the tone of this book, especially this issue. Here is the thing about Miguel, it seems as though he is a more panel driven artist, not using big page spreads or larger images to show off his stuff. Let me say, he has the talent to pull off double page spreads and single art pages, he is that good. I would love to see larger and more drawn out spaces from him because I believe he has the potential for that. I must warn that he is drastically different from Guillem, but rest assured this book is in good hands.

    BEST STORY MOMENTS:

    • Casey once again stood out strong in this issue, no one can bring this girl down, and James has probably created one of my new favorite female characters.
    • I was afraid that this book would lose its theme of the "Talon" but now the title is as appropriate as ever, and the story has a huge driving force that will last for a while.
    • Who is excited that Sarah might turn into a Talon or sidekick to Calvin; oh wait the little girl is being forced/tortured into it, I feel bad now.

    BEST ART MOMENTS:

    • Guillem' last cover looks to be its best, sad to see him go, but to have a good artist in his stead is well-received.
    • Incredibly strong panels and double page spreads make this issue a double threat of great storytelling and great visuals. Miguel, you might have found some new friends.

    THE BAD:

    I can honestly look through this book, backward and forwards and find nothing wrong from this story. James has really found his place in this book, and notice the credits. James is solo, and look how great he is doing. I do have some little nitpicks with some of the dialogue though. It is the meeting of the Court, where Wycliffe refers to a subordinate as an Owl, and then the guy responds by using his name. Honestly, I would think that since this super secret club has stayed super secret for so long that they wouldn't use each others' names. I am also curious as to why Felix is so cooperative without his ice bombs in his head. Could there be more to this, or is it just messy?

    The art was very strong, but what Miguel lacks is consistency with faces. He is excellent at panels but he tends to change up someone's face after a few pages; Casey in particular. I also have a slight problem with his depiction of Calvin. It isn't bad at all, but I wish he looked at what Guillem designed and just went with it, cause it just looks like he just peeked at his image and just decided to go with it.

    WORST STORY MOMENTS:

    • Pretty light stuff overall, just need some clarification on Felix's sanity/loyalty and fix up some of the dialogue with the Court.

    WORST ART MOMENTS:

    • A few things here or there. Felix does looks incredibly more creepy, and intensely larger than what we have seen before. It might be because he was shown with little Sarah but his hands are freakishly huge.
    • We need some consistency, and then we have the ball rolling. Also I would like to see Calvin continuing having facial hair. Not many Bat-related character have it, and it makes them distinctive, Calvin really pulled it off, and as well as being a brunette, it established that he isn't the typical black-haired, blue-eyed, foster son of Bruce Wayne.

    OVERALL

    This was a remarkably strong issue, and I am so glad this title has changed up the status-quo in such an unexpected way. I love it when the viewer is thrown for a loop and the protagonist doesn't accomplish their main goals, it makes the story more realistic and compelling. The new art has a lot of potential but it just has to work out a few of the bugs. This is sort of a good jumping on point for new readers, but I would recommend the trade once it has come out. I would highly recommend this issue to everyone, and am extremely looking forward to next month. Til next time!!!

    STORY: 5/5

    ART: 4.5/5

    SCORE: 4.5/5

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