With this little diversion out of the way, it gives me more appreciating for this series. Jeff Lemire gave us some insight, albeit a little small, on this world and what may have caused the plague. While I still don’t see how a kid, who may or may not be the incarnation of a God, caused it all; it definitely makes me more intrigued on the future. This particular issue ends pretty strong with Thacker deciding to get rid of all of the evidence and get his friend off the island. It was a bit unsettling on how this issue ends and it reminds me that Lemire can go really dark when he wants too. I don’t want to spoil much but when a baby is practically left for dead that won’t be giving you any cheers for the holidays. It might have ended too vaguely for my tastes, but I’m sure that was the point of this entire arc so I can’t rag on it too much.

I’ve enjoyed the art by Matt Kindt for this arc and I would love to see more of it in the future for the book. I love the coloring in his work and it has a charcoal/crayon feel to it. It just fits the tone of the series, especially in this snow filled setting with practically nothing to see in the distance. There was a section though in this book that turned me off a bit and it was the violence. Not that I am turning against it, the violence had to be done for the sake of the story. But it was too over the top considering the realism that came before. I have no doubt a gun can scalp a man, or take his/her fingers off; but again it was too bloody and over the top to take it seriously. But then you see a ship full of rotten corpses so Kindt balances out the gruesome images in the end. (Again thanks for the yuletide cheer guys)

This was a solid end for a solid arc for what I still think is Jeff Lemire’s best work. This arc didn’t really give us any answers, frankly it brought us more questions, but it didn’t frustrate me and actually got me thinking more for what’s to come. Get some Matt Kindt on those pencils and you have art that not only stays in the style that came before; but actually brings a lot of nuance you haven’t seen before. Maybe this isn’t ‘the’ best book on the stands right now; but damnit it’s certainly deserves to be in the Top 3 in my book especially after this last arc.