Written by: Greg Rucka
Art by: Nicola Scott
Publisher: Image
After the cliffhanger ending of Black Magick #4, I must admit, I was rather surprised at how this issue opened. It was a glimpse into Rowan’s “normal” life – something I don’t think we’ve really gotten yet. We’ve seen her doing her job as a detective, and we’ve seen her involved with Magick. But, with the exception of some dialogue between her and Morgan or Alex, we’ve mostly seen her engaged with the plot. So the opening of this issue is refreshing – it serves to humanize Ro as a character. Sure, Greg Rucka has never been one to create unlikable protagonists, but I have felt, for the last four issues, like there was something missing.
Another thing that surprised me was how much of this book I allowed to build up – I read the first issue (and reviewed it too), and somehow, before I knew it, I was three issue behind. But with Lazarus on hiatus, I guess I needed a Rucka fix or something, and man, I am so glad that I didn’t leave this book sitting any longer than I did. Black Magick is everything I loved about Coffin Hill, except it swaps out Inaki Miranda’s stellar art for Nicola Scott’s stellar art.
Generally, when I talk about art, I talk about it in terms of visual storytelling or characterization. However, that’s not what stuck out to me about Scott’s work in Black Magick #5 – what really stands out is her use of framing. Which, I guess, is a part of the visual storytelling. But there are panels that feel like cinematic because of how they’re framed. And when I use the term cinematic, I don’t necessarily mean epic, wide open shots. Take, for instance, the first panel that deals with last issue’s cliffhanger. We see the events taking place from a distance, and then we zoom in on them. It’s panels like that that really add another layer of intricacy to the book.
For a series that, so far, has moved fairly slowly, this issue really picks up the pace. It felt like it went by super quickly, and I would assume that this is intentional. It definitely has something to do with the amount of suspense in this issue – it’s more reminiscent of the series’ debut than any of the issues in between. Rucka has done a great job of building suspense, but the suspense from issue to issue is different from the suspense here. There’s a sense of tension in Black Magick #5 that hasn’t necessarily been present since the first issue. Rucka sets it up perfectly, and it’s a huge part of the book’s success.
Really, there isn’t much I didn’t absolutely love about this issue. In addition to picking up the pace, the exceptional art, and the great character work, Rucka also meaningfully advanced the plot. This has happened in every issue so far, yes, but here it felt like a stride, rather than a couple small steps. It’s probably a sign that we’re about to reach a turning point in the book, and that certainly excites me to no end.
