WOTN Review: Sea of Stars #5 (Image Comics)

The Bond of Father and Son In Sea of Stars #5

Sea of Stars #5 brings us back to the insane journey that Gil and his son, Kadyn, have been thrown into. This entire series has been an emotional rollercoaster. It takes the whole father/son dynamic and throws it into space. And thus, it adds a surprising amount of twists along the way.

Gil and Kadyn have had two vastly different adventures up to this point. Gil has been facing a never-ending struggle for survival. Meanwhile, Kadyn was living every little boy’s dream, exploring space and enjoying every minute of it. Well, except for those moments when he misses his father.

This issue concludes the end of the first arc of the series. It’s hard to believe we’re at that point already. And it’s making readers wonder how far this series will be able to go. And how far the writers want to push it.

Writing

It isn’t every day you get to see a series written by two authors. But that element is part of what makes Sea of Stars so unique. These two visions merge to create something truly out of this world (no pun intended).

Jason Aaron and Dennis Hallum seriously outdid themselves in Sea of Stars #5. They’ve pushed both characters’ plots to different extremes. But they also knew when it was time to pull things back together. And yet, in doing so, they’ve raised even more questions.

This issue bounced back and forth between several different emotions. And that’s part of what made it so successful. It’s hard to imagine this series having the same impact without all of the breathtaking scenes or the fights to survive.

The fifth issue in the series did a solid job of wrapping up several plotlines floating throughout. But it left many questions and concerns open-ended. As if it wasn’t clear enough that the series wasn’t done, right? But this keeps us readers invested in what will happen next. And I, for one, am looking forward to finding out.

Art

Sea of Stars #5 boasts the same amazing artwork that has gotten the series so much attention. This is a series set in space, yes. But the artists have taken space and added so much vibrancy and life to it all. It’s bigger than life, a blend of the beautiful and the horrifying. And they merge oddly well.

Illustrated by Stephen Green, this issue is full of dynamic and stunning scenes. Rico Renzi’s colors further enhance the beauty and strangeness of the scenery. And last but certainly not least, Jared K. Fletcher’s lettering brings it all together.

Conclusion

Sea of Stars #5 was another brilliant read from this creative team. I know that this issue concludes the end of the first plot arc. But it still feels like there’s still so much more to Gil and Kadyn’s tale. The real question is – how far will they push this new boundary? And, of course, there’s always the question of how long the authors want to keep writing for. Here’s hoping we get several more issues before the end.

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.

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