The fear level is starting to rise.
Creative Staff:
Story: Warren Ellis
Art: Jason Howard
What They Say:
Chenglei is starting to find himself in Shu, the Chinese city built under a Tree: but things are starting to find him, too. There’s a storm coming, and the pressure is starting to be felt all over the world.
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
The first three issues of Trees introduced us to a lot of places and characters and even added a few more towards the end that will raise its own issues. There’s been a lot of foundations established for the book with the setting and characters and it’s been interesting to see how most people here are pretty much just living their lives in general, and even those that are attuned to the trees and their presence – and danger- are pretty much complacent in a way after ten years of routine with them and a real lack of true interaction. Being ants to whatever it is that resides in the trees certainly can impact one’s psyche, though most people tend to just compartmentalize it as best as they can and go on with their lives. Especially younger people who have now grown up knowing nothing but the existence of the Trees in the world.
A good chunk of this book takes us back to Shu with Tian Chenglei, who has spent most of his time since arriving there just getting deep into the artwork and really taking a look at the city – from the window of his apartment. Zhen has dragged him out here to get a look at the place and also to the art school he’s supposed to be attending. That place is just a little unusual, but most of the art schools should be as it’s a pretty free form place and there’s a lot of variety in those that operate out of there. They’re glad to see that he’s actually in the city and there’s a kind of bohemian feel to the whole thing that plays out nicely. But it has its best moments when Chenglei makes his way to his spot in the school up several floors and gets a whole new look at the city and the Tree itself.
The other part of the book gives us more time in Norway as well once again, where Marsh is making some intriguing discoveries about the black flowers that have been all around. While he’s being accused of using it as a way of just staying there and not going to the real world, what he’s seeing within them really makes it seem like he has a truly legitimate reason. Marsh actually comes across well in a kind of driven way here as she confronts him about why he never goes back and while it’s not my particular lifestyle, I can completely understand his desire to be doing something that means something. Others in the camp aren’t like that and that just makes him more of an outsider. We also get a little bit of what’s going on down in Somalia as Rahim is starting a new approach to trying and doing something with the short Tree he has there, since we learned how much of an impact it has on them locally, but it’s just a tease. A very intriguing tease.
In Summary:
Trees continues to play in different areas in a very good way, though admittedly a good part of me just wants to marathon the book. And not just the issues in print but several years worth to see where this is all actually going. There’s a lot to like with what’s going on here and the various focuses are keeping it engaging and interesting to read as we see how each piece is doing its own thing while waiting to see how it fits into the larger narrative. Marsh’s time here is probably the most interesting as we really get to know a significant piece of his personality and that helps to make him, and his story, more accessible. The writing and artwork for this book continues to hit all the right notes and leaves me very interested in a whole lot more of it.
Grade: B+
Age Rating: 17+
Released By: Image Comics
Release Date: August 20th, 2014
MSRP: $2.99
