Sonata #7 // Review
Suspicions rise as tensions intensify in the latest issue of Sonata. Writer David Hine and artist Brian Haberlin’s story increases in complexity once more with some answers revealing greater mysteries in a serial that still holds great potential to engage. The juxtaposition of three individuals with an uneasy friendship against three societies ready to clash holds possibilities that Hine and Haberlin haven’t been able to make satisfying contact with. This issue does, however, bring the series a bit closer to that potential.
Senada has borne witness to a resurrection. It’s not an easy thing to digest, especially as it’s clearly the case that her male counterpart from another culture has a telepathic link with her. And he’s come back from death with a deeper connection to her. Meanwhile, Sonata’s native Lumani friend has been cast out by his society. They have evidently left him to die. As awful as this is, it is as nothing to the fate that awaits so many others. As escalating tensions between the three cultures to irrupt into all-out war. It is a war that will include powerful weapons from ancient civilizations in the return of old gods.
Once again, in this issue, the story feels to live up to its potential. The connection shared between the members of the three different nations continues to grow as they grow further and further apart from their families. Though there is some complexity in this, it largely lacks specific sophistication that would make for an interesting connection between the characters. Sonatas psychic connection with her male counterpart adds a deeper level of tension and tenuous intimacy between the two of them. Still, the bigger machinery of the plot and the impending war keeps their central focus at too much of a distance to explore the far more intriguing story of three disparate characters sharing a bond that they cannot share with their own families.
Haberlin’s visuals work a hell of a lot with the drama in the foreground of this issue. This is OK, but the impressive depth that he had managed in previous issues is sorely missed. There’s a scene involving an ancient weapon that should have been delivered with more of a devastating impact then Haberlin manages here. The drama that he delivers well is interesting in and of itself as a visual focus for the issue. Still, it lacks emotional weight as so much of it concerns political strategizing. There’s a lot of grimly gazing off into the horizon going on in this issue. It delivers a nice mood, but it doesn’t engage emotionally.
Hine and Haberlin are working on a very ambitious world with incredibly vivid visual rendering. It’s a lot to juggle. They have rarely managed a perfect balance of all of the elements. This issue is no exception. As the series begins to reach its current climax in the characters and the cultures in collusion, they have an opportunity to bring it all together with a powerful focus for future issues. These next few issues are going to be as big a challenge for them as it is going to be for their heroine.
