In Review: Penny Dreadful: The Awakening #2.4

Synopsis: An ill wind blows through the streets of London…

Lyle’s revelations about the creatures stalking the night have made it abundantly clear – the ordeal that was Vanessa Ives’ life did not end with her death. She will not be allowed to rest in peace. As the party in the drawing room prepares to gather their strength once more, they find their sanctuary under threat and, to survive, they must scatter…

Meanwhile, Kaetenay has embarked on a quest of his own, one that takes him into a shadow world that could be just as dangerous as the one his chosen son, Ethan, is walking through..

(This is the final issue of the first arc)

Review: This is, indeed, the final issue of the first arc. Writer Chris King raced through a lot of plot to set up what’s to come. I’m sorry Sir Malcolm and Ethan didn’t get more time. Sir Malcolm’s sacrifice felt rushed, relying on emotional resonance from the past show, not the current comic narrative. I also hope King mines the dark irony of Sir Malcolm’s role in Lucifer’s return going forward. There was no time for that here either. Moreover, King also sped to Ethan’s meeting with Lily. That’s a dynamic that really, really needs room to breathe down the line.

Jesus Hervas’ art made up for the pacing issues. There was a great deal of bloodletting in this issue, even by the usual standards. Hervas brought it to the page in a style I’ve come to think of as vivid impressionism. Readers get gore through color more than line. It’s a helpful style for readers, like me, with vision issues. We don’t have to stress over processing the exact images.

With this issue, I was left wanting more in both good and bad ways. I’m looking forward to seeing how this comics strengths and weaknesses are addressed in the future.

Written by

Chris King

Art by

Jesus Hervas

Colored by

Jason Wordie

Cover by

Stephen Mooney

Published by

Titan Comics