It’s time to change tactics.
Creative Staff:
Story: Jim Zub
Art: Steve Cummings
What They Say:
The new gods of Japan rise in Tokyo and the world will never be the same. Will the old myths survive? NEW STORY ARC.
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Wayward returns after taking a few months off to ensure that it can meet a timely schedule and keep to the quality that it’s had since the start. The team of Zub and Cummings has been strong on this series from the get go and it’s definitely a welcome way of releasing a series, though there’s always a little problem or two with it. Mostly in that since it has been a bit I could have used a better or more visible refresher at the start to get us on track again. There’s a lot of things at play in this series and on a monthly basis it’s very manageable. When there’s three month break, well, that makes it a bit harder – especially in a book where names aren’t used all that often.
This issue works as both a closer to the previous arc and the start of the next arc as we get to see how events finished off and what the impact of it is. The structure of the book plays to the next part as we get to see Nura at the start where it’s three months after the encounter with Rori and the others where she declared that they were the new gods now and would be changing things. Nura’s approach is one that is interesting as we see him reflect on the past and the changing nature of how yokai have been viewed over time. The modern world ushering away the old beliefs is a common theme in manga and anime so it’s a decent approach to work with here. He’s intent on learning from the past rather than just going with the full out attacks and violence that the others of his kind think is the best approach and his first foray into it here has some real potential with another kid that could become part of Rori’s group, if he hadn’t found him first. Mostly the narration is what sells it as a bit of exposition but also a foundational understanding of his approach going forward.
With this serving as a bookend to the installment, the meat that we get in the middle is kind of mixed. I do like the new character that’s introduced as he watches how Japan has been thrown into chaos by what Rori has done and he comes into his own powers, but there’s not enough there to latch onto unlike how Emi was introduced. Emi is what makes the book interesting for me this time around (and once again) as she heads back home while Rori is recovering from using her abilities that has threatened the fabric of reality. For Emi, she’s discovered that she’s no longer a presence within her parents life as she’s essentially been erased. It’s a great sequence both in terms of the anguish she goes through and the fear but also for the visual display of it from Cummings. And not just how she handles it with her hands and expression but also just the whole collapsing into the building element. It’s a sequence that really warrants taking a second and third look at for all the details in it.
In Summary:
After the first ten issues of Wayward and understanding its release structure I’ve found that when the book comes back or starts the new arc that it’s at its toughest for me. I enjoy the book thoroughly but the reconnect phase of it is just hard among all the other media that I consume. By the end of this issue I’m getting back into the flow of it and enjoying it, though the frustration is there in just what isn’t said on the page to help readers reconnect that pick it up in the singles. I’m definitely curious to see what’s going on with Rori as well as what the elder gods are going to come up with for a plan since it looks like they’re going to avoid the traditional route. Hopefully the book will take some interesting chances as it moves forward – as well as giving us a bit more time to really connect with the characters more as I’m feeling a bit distant from them at this point.
Grade: B
Age Rating: 13+
Released By: Image Comics via ComiXology
Release Date: November 18th, 2015
MSRP: $2.99
