Shayde and her companions have been on the sea for two days. They’re lost. (Maybe.) There’s nothing left to do but drink and try to relax. They may find even that to be a bit of a challenge in Stoneheart #7. Writer/artist Emma Kubert’s high fantasy adventure continues with an issue that mixes larger movements of interest to politics on a big scale with the personal issues of aa few central characters. The balance works quite well to maintain the forward momentum on a largely satisfying sword and sorcery serial. The series continues as Shayde continues to be plagued by a mad, supernatural restlessness.

There’s an otherworldly voice that continues to echo through Shayde’s head. And as rough as that is, there everybody’s got voices in their heads in one way or another. Shayde’s going to have to deal with her current situation on a more coherent fashion if she’s going to be able to take hold of her destiny and  face the dangers which seem to be swimming all around her. Shayde’s lost on the water. She just might find out that sometimes you need to sink before touching can truly swim. It’s not going to be an easy path, though. 

Kubert’s adventure shoots quite swiftly along once she’s found her footing. The backstory that anchors-in the  beginning of the issue seems nice enough, but it feels pretty distant from everything that’s going on with Shayd for the bulk of the issue. As a result, the opening of hate issue DOES feel like it might drag a bit, but on the whole, it IS a great deal of fun once Kurt focusses her narrative energies on the most interesting character in the entire series It’s a fund adventure once it really gets going, but it takes a little bit of time to get on track.

As always, Kubert’s art is warm and distinctive. Shayde has a remarkably s striking presence on the page the asserts itself through endearing close-ups on her eyes and face that never seem to be anything other than appealing. The larger momentum of the action DOES include a few moments of genuine magic, which Kubert brings to he page with considerable power throughout the issue. The seafaring adventure DOES lack a bit of a sense of the immensity of the water. If she were to work a bit more with the massiveness of the open sea it might serve to amplify Shayde’s sense of vulnerability 

The general momentum of the adventure cotninues to propel itself in an interesting direction as Shayde moves ever forward through the chaos that surrounds her as echoed out from the past. It’s all very enjoyable with a powerful character in the center who bears a central mystery that should hopefully end up launching the series in an entirely new direction once her background becomes a bit more clear in the course of the adventure that lies ahead in future issues. It’s always a fun trip from one cover to the other with Emma Kubert. 

Grade: A