Revival #28 Review

Revival #28 is, for me, a strong return to form. It brings back many of the elements unique to this series, such as it’s strong themes and central characters. Yet, at the same time, I’ve been fooled before.

The official descrpition from Image:

Dana’s quest for revenge leads her to a massive conspiracy. Em deals with getting what she asked for, and finds out that nothing stays buried in a town where the dead live.

All in all, this is a very action-packed and utterly satisfying issue. A key benefit here is the focus on the main cast – specifically Em and Dana – while ensuring everyother side arc takes a back-seat. While they’re still mentioned, they don’t feel as forced and the whole issue feels much more natural and progressive as a result.

One of the key things here, however, is the overuse of Abe as a character. I loved Abe when he first appeared, and his half-cynical take on religion was an important part of the title. Revival #28, however, brings this back and makes it clear just how diverse and varied the title has become in it’s absense. I definately love it, but author Tim Seeley does write rather strongly, making it a very blunt piece throughout the issue.

Visually, regular artist Mike Norton gets a few chances to play around here. His pencils have always been excellent, but there are a few opportunities, such as mutant fish and a flashback sequence, that ultimately allow Norton to show off his skill in greater detail. Likewise, it adds variety in the form of color, so it’s not all white and blues.

All in all, this is a substantial issue for regular readers. It also suggests a lot about the overall narrative and mystery too so, if you’re keeping an eye on Revival, this one isn’t to be missed.