Cemetery Beach #4 // Review
Mike Blackburn and Grace Moody can’t catch a break. They can’t hide but they can try to run for their lives. Cemetery Beach #4 continues with nonstop action and mystery written by Warren Ellis, art by Jason Howard, and lettering by Fonografiks.
President Barrow is desperate to catch Mike and Grace. So desperate that he sends his assistant, simply called The Chief, out to apprehend them himself. Chief isn’t the only new threat hunting the duo. As they get farther from the detention center and closer to their destination they have to get through Drumo- a “kingdom” whose residents don’t side with President Barrow, but don’t want Mike and Grace to escape.
Unlike previous issues the characters are not developed through direct conversation with each other. Instead, Ellis reveals reveals more details about Mike and Grace through the discussion Presiden Barrow and The Chief have about them. Similarly, the residents of Drum are described not through their interaction with each other but through the actions they take against the other characters. This works well as the middle of the story is largely told without words, relying on the art to carry it.
Howard cleverly uses body language and facial expressions to convey what the characters are feeling. The use of loose sketchy linework works very well during the action scenes making them look chaotic but in a purposeful way. He continues to work with a limited color scheme of blues, greys, and purples, saving brighter colors for key moments where they will be more meaningful.
Each step of Mike and Grace’s journey takes them closer to their destination and reveals more of the mystery surrounding the colony. The series is rapidly approaching its conclusion where all the loose ends will hopefully be tied up.
