Scorched #21 Review

 

Writers: Sean Lewis & Todd McFarlane

Artist: Dexter Soy & Carlo Barberi

Colorist: Ulises Arreola

Letterer: Andworld Design

Cover Artists: Fede Mele; Francesco Mattina

Publisher: Image

Price: 2.99

Release Date: August 30, 2023

 

The fire burned the forest surrounding little Annie and her grandmother. Through the blackened trees strides Jessica Priest, aka She-Spawn. She vowed she would never see her daughter again, but that was before she died. What are her intentions for her daughter and mother? Let's burn into Scorched #21 and find out!

 

Story

Jessica's got a new team. She now works on Gaia's behalf. After all the disasters that have shaken the Earth, She-Spawn knows the worst is yet to come. For the first time, Jessica apologizes to her mother for making her raise Annie. Jessica warns her a war is coming. What does her mother think when she realizes She-Spawn in Jessica? Does this lessen her dissatisfaction with her daughter? And how about Annie? The little girl may not recognize the woman she believes is her aunt, but at least Jessica got to hold her before assuming the mantle Gaia's given her.

 

The Scorched investigate computer searches at the devastated military base in New Mexico. As they learn that Senator Terminus hunted for records of relics and saints, powerful enemies return to claim they've switched sides and want to protect Earth against the Planet Eaters. Can the Scorched trust them?

 

Sean Lewis and Todd McFarlane beat the war drums loud and fast in Scorched #21. New coalitions emerge to take on Terminus. We learn more about the Planet Eaters and the Blood Beasts' role in Earth's destruction. Perhaps one commentator is correct: ordinary humans are helpless—little more than dust blown by the wind—as these otherworldly, supernatural forces battle for the fate of our planet. 

 

She-Spawn action figure available at Amazon.com

 

 

Art

While Carlo Barberi shows us how the news media interpret recent events, Dexter Soy brings us the battle of the century. Dexter's art looks less fluid than Stephen Segovia's, and Redeemer's and Medieval’s armor is less defined. Still, Terminus shows incredible detail. Mandarin's detailed and polished armor gleams. He exudes a resilience to fight the Scorched should they choose not to join him. Giants like Monolith and Urizen stand in proper proportion, and Spawn's team looks dynamic. Writers Sean Lewis and Todd McFarlane rely on big panels and double-page spreads to convey their epic tale, and Dexter Soy’s cover-worthy pages deliver.

 

Ulises Arreola ups the stakes in this apocalyptic tale with rich, vibrant coloring. Highlights and shadows play across faces and bodies. Even the ground exudes color where spawns don't fear to tread. Flames leap from their mouths and eyes, revealing the unholy fire that drives them. If any comic released this week can match the coloring in Scorched #21, show it to me. I want to see it!

 

Yellow words in brown narrative boxes guide us through Scorched #21, courtesy of Andworld Design. Black and red uppercase words possess white narrative boxes with stylized arrows. One TV commentator's speech reveals how colorful and compelling the news media can be. Intriguingly, Jessica's dialogue balloons resemble that of ordinary humans--even though she died and was reborn--and her eyes burn as hot as Spawn's. 

 

Curious about Scorched? Read the first issue free at the Image website.

 

Final Thoughts

Heroes and villains transform and form new alliances in Scorched #21, a powerful meditation on greed and power.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To view another cover see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.