Here we are, at the beginning of the third arc for Hinterkind. The last arc saw a big and rather surprising turnaround in quality for the book, taking me by surprise. It made me really start to get into the book even more than before and I’m hoping to continue to see this trend with a growth of quality in this new arc. Will we see that? Is it good?
Hinterkind #13 (Vertigo Comics)
Taking place about a year and half before most of humanity was destroyed, we check in with our characters to see where they were before the fall of humankind happened. We see Jon Hobb doing a special delivery mission for the Sidhe, Asa Monday at home with his family, and a couple of other familiar faces as well. Basically, it’s the calm before the storm for Earth currently.
While I’d preferably like to get back to the main story in the present (though from reading the solicits, I hear that the story is only in the past for this and one more issue), the beginning to the third arc gets off to a good start here. The issue focuses squarely on adding backstory for the characters and showing us exactly how humanity lost, which is nice at helping develop the world and its characters more. Speaking of which, this issue automatically addresses a complaint I had in the previous two issues, a lack of development and characterization for the cast. While not everyone is present, the comic does a good job of giving some more depth to who appears and what they were like. It gives the characters a bit more depth to them and is sorely needed.
Writing-wise, you get the same amount of quality you would expect from the series. The pacing and story structure are both decent, giving each scene enough time to develop and serve its purposes instead of just rushing through things (like previous issues). The dialogue is decent for the most part, though nothing stands out too much overall. The drama and emotional angles are nice, making the story a bit more engrossing and helping with growing the characters. I will say that the issue isn’t all that exciting or intense as previous ones were, but it’s decent and helps to develop the world.
Sadly, what hasn’t really improved is the artwork. Honestly, it’s still about the same level of quality you have seen since the very beginning of the series. It works well enough, but it’s just kind of bland and forgettable. It’s even more noticeable when there isn’t much happening. The layouts, the characters, the colors, and all of that just work and that’s really it. Kind of a shame really.
Is It Good?
Hinterkind #13 gets the third arc of the series off on a good note. The added backstory for the series and the characters is appreciated and helps with development. The writing also saw some improvements; the added characterization helps, and the pacing & structure of the book doesn’t feel as frantic as before. And if you’ve stuck with the series up to now, you’ll be satisfied with this new issue.
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