Written by: Jim Zub
Art by: Steve Cummings
Publisher: Image
I never score my reviews until I’m completely done, so I can’t be certain if I’ll give Issue 5 of Wayward a perfect 10/10 or not. Know that I’m considering it, and know that in order to fully talk about this comic, I have to delve into spoiler territory. I’d prefer not to, but this is just one of those comics.
The short version, then, is: Go pick this up! If not now, then in a few months when the first trade paperback comes out with all five issues in it. I’m going to be purchasing it, by the way.
Wayward Issue 5 starts at a sprint yet somehow manages to move even faster. Just as Rori is beginning to understand both her power and what is going on with the world, she gets hit with a kind of premonition that her mother is in danger. The lines/threads/patterns that make up her ability take hold of her, and she vanishes into some kind of alternate reality and speeds towards home.
The whole scene is a little confusing at first, I’ll admit, but it’s also an absolute rush.
It’s when Rori gets home that Wayward pulls its first ruthless card. Up until now, the comic has been somewhat violent and dark at times, but it’s only ever scratched the surface of such territory. Here it looks at that surface, laughs, and then breaks through it with a death scene that I found both very surprising and well executed.
The villains that have had minor screen time thus far really capture the scene they are in with full force, and I guess they’re best described as, “Japanese demon mobsters.” It’s as awesome as it sounds. The kingpin character can shoot fire out of his hands, backing up his creepy demeanor with some very powerful magic.
There’s a lot to this demon kingpin, and I really, really want to know more.
Over half of this comic is pure action, complete with well-done fight scenes, big explosions, and Ayane doing some crazy maneuvers with her cat powers. She’s kind of frightening when she isn’t being adorable.
And all of the action is great. Steve Cummings nails every aspect of the choreography, creating sequences that are both awesome to look at and easy to follow. There’s plenty of tension and spectacle, and I cannot find a fault with any of it.
The ending is great, being open-ended and bleak but also promising more to come. One of Wayward’s strongest aspects thus far has been being unpredictable, so while I think I know where it might go next, I’m almost certain I’m wrong.
