i had to review this, despite being a week behind on it – this is one of the best single issues of comics i’ve ever read. i picked it up after hearing the positive remarks in last week’s podcast, and boy am i glad i did. make no mistake – this was the best book last week, and really deserved the PoW.

the topic is heavy, but this is a real masterpiece – in particular the earlier parts of the book with less text. the art is shocking and extremely well done (the first big splash is extraordinary); dave sim breaks up big pictures into panel by panel examinations, essentially guiding your eyes, forcing you to look into every detail, slowly. it’s very cinematic, and the purposeful arrangement of panels, often gradually zooming out, makes for a fascinating comic experience – and one which was extraordinarily unique.

i found myself spending so much time just looking from panel to panel, taking it all in. the ending lets up slightly from the initial heaviness; it gives a nice direction to the journey on which you’re led. a great piece of high art.