Coda #8
Writer: Simon Spurrier
Artist: Matias Bergara
Color Assists: Michael Doig
Letterer: Jim Campbell
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Review by Brendan Hykes
Issue 8 of Simon Spurrier and Matias Bergara’s post-apocalyptic fantasy epic Coda lands us right in the aftermath of the events that ended issue 7. All of Thundervale is after Hum and Serka. Serka has seemingly abandoned Hum to his fate so she can enter the Everstorm and undergo her transformation. Hum has finished the potion that he believes will cure his wife and return her to normal.
However, in a shift from previous issues, we spend most of this issue in Serka’s head, rather than Hum’s. Serka grapples with her decision to leave Hum behind, while the action alternates between Serka’s journey to Urkhaven and Hum’s escape from the armies of Thundervale.
Spurrier’s decision to follow Serka’s perspective throughout this issue is a clever shift from previous issues. It affords us the opportunity to see the world, and Hum, through someone else’s eyes. It also allows Spurrier to challenge the motivations of both characters. The ending subverts the reader’s expectations in a way that somewhat mirrors the previous issue, but manages to remain fresh and surprising.
Bergara’s art is as vibrant and chaotic as ever. The action is intense, the magical creatures are fascinating and terrifying. He doesn’t shy away from graphic violence, neither does he linger on it. Bergara has built a stark vision of a magical apocalypse, and still finds ways to surprise us within that world, as he builds to a frightening and chaotic climax.
Verdict: Buy it!
If you’ve been following this series, you’ll most certainly want to pick up Coda #8. The story continues to engage readers, taking more unexpected turns, and the ending will leave you eager to see what will happen next.
