The Wake #6

By Scott Snyder & Sean Murphy

The Wake withdrawals can finally subside! Issue six kicks off the second half of the story. Glimpses were given in Part One of a Water World-esque future with a female character. Now, that is the focus of the narrative. The underwater beasts (Mers) have become a real threat to the existence of man. Humanity struggles to find a way to combat them, but there may be some hidden agendas…

Scott Snyder has a clear understanding that although both stories are connected, Part Two is basically a brand new comic. There’s a lot more world building and explanations needed than the prior storyline, because of this, not many characters are introduced in succession as in the other arc.  It was a smart move not to bombard the reader. The heroine, Leeward, who has been slowly introduced, comes to the forefront and it seems the primary antagonist may not be the obvious pick. Snyder also keeps the history of the current world (200 years after the events in Part One) concise and presents it naturally in the dialog. Where Part One felt like Ridley Scott’s Alien influenced it, this part of the story calls to mind a James Cameron-type film. No complaints here!

Sean Murphy’s talent really shines in this issue. There is so much detail to look at in every panel. The splash page alone, I must have looked at three to four times. There is no doubt that Scott and Sean had many conversations about how locations and structures should look; each one shown is so imaginative and immediately captures the reader’s attention. Leeward’s home is the one that stood out the most to me. Sitting here and writing about the work won’t do it justice; you must see it for yourself!

If you haven’t read Part One yet, buy it and catch up. The first five issues have already been collected in a special edition. This is such a brilliant issue that reinvigorates the series.  The Wake is definitely one of Vertigo’s strongest titles.