WOTN Review: The Marked #8 (Image Comics)

When Monsters Roam The Streets in The Marked #8

The Marked #8 has taken a dramatic shift in events, to say the least. Then again, this is a series about a secret society of magic uses. So, a sudden series of events, threats to humanity, and other ethereal dilemmas were bound to come up.

This latest arc has been a mind-bender like no other. At least one real-life historical figure has made his way into the series. What is so delightful about his presence is that the series isn’t afraid to show his darker side – or take it to extreme levels.

In many ways, that fits with the story being told. In fact, it’s setting a particular scene. One that many of the characters involved have yet to figure out.

Writing

The Marked #8 is a fascinating issue. It’s one that captivated my attention right from the start. Though perhaps not for the reasons one might expect. David Hine & Brian Haberlin did a delightful job weaving in this issue’s magical and unknown.

All while continuing to develop the characters involved. It was the perfect balance, especially as much of it set the scene simultaneously. It was captivating in that sense, yet it felt like there was more substance to the world because of it.

This is an issue that answered many questions, then kept on going, raising more and more questions along the way. The question raising leaves one eager to get their hands on the next issue.

At this point, there are several subplots, all running at the same time. It’s hard to tell if everything is a direct cause for the current event or just one or two of the current elements. Only time will tell, naturally.

Art

The artwork inside The Marked #8 is as striking and bold as the rest of the series. At this point, that’s hardly a surprise. This is a stunning series that makes elegant use of tattoos to help portray the magic inherent in the world.

Brian Haberlin may be one of the authors, but he’s also the leading artist for this project. His art and vision combine here, which brings the characters to life in surprising ways. Their designs would be striking enough, even without the intricate tattoos that dominate our attention.

Geirrod Van Dyke is the colorist, and the colors are another reason that the artwork in this series shines. I personally love the level of colors used. Sometimes, everything feels muted – right up until magic is used, and suddenly, there’s this burst of colors. It’s an allegory if ever I’ve seen one, but it is effective nonetheless.

Francis Takenaga provided the letters; the attention to detail here is everything the series needed. It’s understated work, especially in this issue, yet the story wouldn’t be the same without it.

Conclusion

The Marked #8 is another intense and intriguing addition to this series. The second arc is winding up, and it feels safe to assume it has the same deadly potential as the first. If not more so, considering who has become involved.

Regardless of the lethality, this arc is proving to be an engaging one. It’s the sort of plot that is easy to theorize about, pulling the readers into the world in more ways than one.

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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