Review – Bone Parish #10 (Boom! Studios)

Bone Parish #10 Takes the Series Down a Dark New Path

It may be hard to believe that Bone Parish could get any darker, but that’s certainly how it felt in the latest issue. It continues onward with all of the themes and plots already introduced, but it ratchets things up a notch or two.

The last issue left us with a bit of a cliffhanger. One that, thankfully, Bone Parish #10 resolved. And man did it live up to the wait. I was feeling pretty anxious about what was going to happen. And if it’s possible to feel both relieved and shocked, that describes my emotions perfectly for this issue.

Writing

Cullen Bunn has a way of weaving these dark and fascinating plots into something that leaves his readers eager for more. While the series is graphic and morbid, there’s also this odd sort of elegance to it. Perhaps it’s the characters. Perhaps it’s the art. I personally think it’s the writing style.

Like all of the previous issues of Bone Parish, this one had some relatively graphic moments in it. But they also fit in so perfectly with the story being told. Remember, we’re talking about a family that is making their name off of selling drugs made from corpses. I feel like that alone should set some expectations.

Bone Parish #10 was an intense read, even by those standards. There were a couple of dramatic reveals, as well as one truly anxiety-inducing moment in the beginning. Combine that with an ever-progressing plot, and you’ve got a fast-paced issue to read.

I love that they’ve been weaving in some more of the past as well. These transitions to the past are subtle, leaving us with a moment of hesitation while adjusting to the time period. It does a good job of throwing us off balance, which can only enhance the telling.

This issue didn’t leave off in a cliffhanger. But it still managed to leave off on a dramatic moment. And it left us with many questions hanging in the air. I’m looking forward to getting some answers.

Art

As always, the artwork behind Bone Parish is phenomenal. The color palette perfectly complements the darker tones of the series. While also supporting some of that elegance I was talking about earlier.

Jonas Scharf and Alex Guimaraes are the artists behind the series, and they’re just amazing. They manage this fine balance between graphic and gory. Too little, and it won’t have the right impact. Too much, and it becomes distracting.

Then there are the rest of the details in Bone Parish #10. Not to mention the sheer number of individual characters that need to be portrayed (and memorable). I’m usually pretty bad at immediately remembering side characters, but I honestly haven’t had an issue with this series.

Conclusion

Bone Parish #10 has lived up to the expectations set on it from the rest of the series. It moved the plot forward at a steady pace. But it also didn’t reveal too much. In short, it once again has left me eager to learn more about what is happening behind the scenes. At least this time around, I feel like I’m really starting to put the pieces together.

I still love the tones of the series. And while this issue was slightly more graphic than the last couple, it didn’t hit that point of being overly gory. It’s a tough balance and one that I respect. And of course, now I’m looking forward to seeing what the fallout will be in the next issue.

This review was originally written for Word of the Nerd, but has been ported over to Quirky Cat’s Fat Stacks now that the site has shut down.