Billy Bane Barrels Forward in Wasted Space #9
Billy Bane hasn’t exactly been the most willing of heroes…but at least he’s stepped up for the job. More or less. In Wasted Space, Billy tries to fix everything he broke, even though he’d prefer to stay away from humanity.
Wasted Space #9 brings us to the conclusion of the second major plot arc of the series, which naturally means the stakes are high and emotions even higher. Unfortunately, that doesn’t automatically mean that Billy thought out his actions more than usual, but we’ve gotten used to that with him.
This series has been interesting, unparalleled, and, dare I say, fun? It’s quirky, unafraid to take risks, and overall simply entertaining. The series is undeniably a space opera full of offbeat characters and out-there plots. But it also questions a lot of important topics at the same time, forcing the reader to think as they go.
Writing
The latest issue of Wasted Space is arguably the most shocking. Or at least, it feels that way at the moment. Maybe once the next plot arc starts up, it won’t feel that way so much. Michael Moreci has never been afraid to take risks, and Wasted Space #9 proves that.
A few different storytelling techniques were used in this issue, and I honestly think it was a brilliant decision. This issue had so much impact because of the way we were provided information.
The introduction may have felt silly or cartoonish, but the issue quickly changed to something darker. I won’t say that this was the darkest subplot shown, but it sure has the potential to cause some intense emotional reactions.
The conclusion to this issue is a cliffhanger – there’s no way to call it anything but that. But I also feel like it was put to good use. It wasn’t a cheap trick to get readers to come back. But rather, it was a moment where fans were forced to stop and think about everything that led up to this point. And wonder.
Art
The artwork for Wasted Space has always been a little rough, but it’s a style I enjoy. And I don’t think I’m the only one since Vault keeps courting comics with this style.
At first, it may have felt like the style for this issue actually changed. Some characters seemed almost chibi in form. But it was quickly proven that Wasted Space #9 is no exception to the style norm.
Hayden Sherman is the artist for this issue, and he’s the reason for so much personality shining through. The use of thick lines, bright backgrounds, and motion lines went a long way in supporting the stories being told here.
Conclusion
Wasted Space #9 was one of the more dramatic issues in the series so far, but since it concludes a major plot, that makes sense. It was an intense read that elicited emotional reactions, one of which waswas shock. Despite that (possibly because of it), it was still worth reading.
I personally really enjoyed the different types of storytelling used in this issue. It blurted the issue but also increased the impact of what was being told. And, of course, now I’m anxious to see what happens next in this series.
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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