Revival #19 Review


Revival 19 previewRevival has its ups and downs, so it’s always a risky business opening a new issue. Revival #19, however, looks like it enjoys loitering in the middle.

The official description from Image:

Edmund Holt is up to something. Dana and her son Coop are having issues about the thing in the woods. Lester is having issues with the thing in the woods. And Em, left alone, is looking for new ways to feel something…anything…

This is the very essence of a slow roller. While there are a few key character moments and verbal exchanges, this issue does feel very padded out. By the end there is some tension and suspense for sure, but for the most part you’re reading to simply make it to the end. Revival has been juggling ghosts, small town drama and cops for a while now, so each repetitive issue feels more and more dated.

Tim Seeley’s writing is solid – the main problem is the lack of development. Revival #19 opens with an attention-grabbing scene, but it still ultimately offers nothing new. Once you look past the decent dialogue, there are really only a few key moments in here. The taunting Sheriff and Ed has its merits, but its been shown the last few issues and, even then, its still not clear how relevant it is to the rest of the story.

Visually, however, Mike Norton is still on top of his game. The artwork is crisp and well-detailed. As I’ve said before, Norton’s skill with facial expressions really pushes the emotional and personal aspects, especially in dialogue heavy issues such as this one. That said, this issue offers nothing new, so Norton really is cycling through old designs. There isn’t anything new here and every panel of Revival #19 look all too familiar by now.

In short, this is another case of ‘not bad, but not great either’. The elements are there, yet this is very much the same old song and dance we’re all use to by now.

OUR RATING
5.5
  • + All the Revival elements are here
  • + At least there's a cliffhanger
  • - Not very exciting
  • - Feels very same old, same old

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