Valkyrie: Jane Foster #6 Review
Writers: Al Ewing & Jason Aaron
Guest Artist: Pere Pérez
Colourist: Jesus Aburtov
Letterer: Joe Sabino
Publisher: Marvel Comics
After a spectacular initial arc, Jane Foster dives right back into Valkyrie action when a terrifying morgue encounter alerts her to fresh troubles in Death's domain.
This leads her to immediately cashing in her Dr. Strange favour from the last issue, and the pair of them assemble a medically-themed hero team to make a house call on Death herself.
Easy peasy! Except for, you know, being incredibly far above the pay-grade of what Jane admits are "five mid-list super-people."
(I wouldn't sell Dr. Strange as a mid-lister, though -- saving the universe from existential threats is pretty much his jam.)
Guest artist Pere Pérez slides into visualizing the action with incredible ease. His realistic proportions and fine eye for detail make a great match to the work CAFU has already done forging a signature style for this title.
This is not to say this issue lacks visual distinction. Mr. Pérez's style is notably lighter than CAFU's, using lines more than shadows to shape the characters and their settings.
Regular colourist Jesus Aburtov adjusts adroitly to the tonal difference in the art, going for a slightly more cartoony colouring style that suits the lines without giving up any of the series' rich detail.
And he does another terrific job on Valkyrie's "Death Stare," which Jane refuses to call "Valkyr-Eyes."
She uses it on her new teammates: Cardiac, Dr. Faiza Hussain, and Manikin. But Valkyrie neglects to examine Night Nurse this way, even though she ends up tagging along on the Death-mission. Significant? Could be.
The script by Al Ewing and Jason Aaron segues neatly off of the title's established jam, ratcheting back (without eliminating) the introspection on Jane and her new dual identity. As the story evolves, it embraces a more interactive, team-driven tone.
There's just enough snappy dialogue to instill confidence in this team's further adventures. They have distinctive voices, and the interplay between them is already amusing enough to be an attraction all by itself.
It's not that the plot needs any help arousing interest! This initial look at Death promises new challenges and new perspectives. It's sketching out new dimensions around a character that usually pops up simply as Thanos's crush, asking fascinating questions about the consequences of a universal force so often taking on a humanoid form.
My main concern is an abstract "inside baseball" one: It feels like this title is moving straight from "introduction arc" to "conclusion arc." Though I don't think cancellation is in the cards, it seems like Al Ewing is charting a pretty final end to his time with Valkyrie. He's only onboard for one more issue before turning co-writing duties over to Torunn Grønbekk. Getting one or two more adventures in Mr. Ewing's tenure wouldn't have been at all unwelcome!
Of course, it's difficult to speculate based on solicits, but the bumf for #8 does hold out some hope that this "sick Death" storyline might outlive Mr. Ewing's departure.
The latest issue of Valkyrie expands its spotlight to accommodate some team-up pals around Jane Foster and give them a formidable challenge: diagnosing a sickness in Death herself. With smooth guest art, strong dialogue, and an intriguing plot all in evidence, this series is rolling right along from strength to strength.
Guest Artist: Pere Pérez
Colourist: Jesus Aburtov
Letterer: Joe Sabino
Publisher: Marvel Comics
After a spectacular initial arc, Jane Foster dives right back into Valkyrie action when a terrifying morgue encounter alerts her to fresh troubles in Death's domain.
This leads her to immediately cashing in her Dr. Strange favour from the last issue, and the pair of them assemble a medically-themed hero team to make a house call on Death herself.
Easy peasy! Except for, you know, being incredibly far above the pay-grade of what Jane admits are "five mid-list super-people."
(I wouldn't sell Dr. Strange as a mid-lister, though -- saving the universe from existential threats is pretty much his jam.)
Guest artist Pere Pérez slides into visualizing the action with incredible ease. His realistic proportions and fine eye for detail make a great match to the work CAFU has already done forging a signature style for this title.
This is not to say this issue lacks visual distinction. Mr. Pérez's style is notably lighter than CAFU's, using lines more than shadows to shape the characters and their settings.
Regular colourist Jesus Aburtov adjusts adroitly to the tonal difference in the art, going for a slightly more cartoony colouring style that suits the lines without giving up any of the series' rich detail.
And he does another terrific job on Valkyrie's "Death Stare," which Jane refuses to call "Valkyr-Eyes."
She uses it on her new teammates: Cardiac, Dr. Faiza Hussain, and Manikin. But Valkyrie neglects to examine Night Nurse this way, even though she ends up tagging along on the Death-mission. Significant? Could be.
The script by Al Ewing and Jason Aaron segues neatly off of the title's established jam, ratcheting back (without eliminating) the introspection on Jane and her new dual identity. As the story evolves, it embraces a more interactive, team-driven tone.
There's just enough snappy dialogue to instill confidence in this team's further adventures. They have distinctive voices, and the interplay between them is already amusing enough to be an attraction all by itself.
It's not that the plot needs any help arousing interest! This initial look at Death promises new challenges and new perspectives. It's sketching out new dimensions around a character that usually pops up simply as Thanos's crush, asking fascinating questions about the consequences of a universal force so often taking on a humanoid form.
My main concern is an abstract "inside baseball" one: It feels like this title is moving straight from "introduction arc" to "conclusion arc." Though I don't think cancellation is in the cards, it seems like Al Ewing is charting a pretty final end to his time with Valkyrie. He's only onboard for one more issue before turning co-writing duties over to Torunn Grønbekk. Getting one or two more adventures in Mr. Ewing's tenure wouldn't have been at all unwelcome!
Of course, it's difficult to speculate based on solicits, but the bumf for #8 does hold out some hope that this "sick Death" storyline might outlive Mr. Ewing's departure.
The latest issue of Valkyrie expands its spotlight to accommodate some team-up pals around Jane Foster and give them a formidable challenge: diagnosing a sickness in Death herself. With smooth guest art, strong dialogue, and an intriguing plot all in evidence, this series is rolling right along from strength to strength.
A Look Inside
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