This month brings us the final (sort of) issue of Squarriors. Well, not FINAL final, but final for this four issue run. Is it good?
Squarriors #4 (Devil’s Due Entertainment)
The plot:
- Squirrels backstab each other more than the cast of House of Cards.
- A crucial moment in Tin Kin vs. Maw history is revealed.
- Squirrels and other assorted wildlife beat the hell out of each other.
- Crash (of the Tin Kin tribe) is a total psycho.
- Even in a post apocalyptic world, cats are still assholes.
Is it good?
That’s about all I can give you as far as plot details. The creative team has asked that spoilers be kept to a minimum. As far as the issue’s quality…
First off, let’s get the usual drooling/exulting of Ashley Witter’s art out of the way. I mean, good lord, how does this woman keep outdoing herself every issue? The still panels (especially those featuring landscapes) are frameable piece of art. And to be honest, the action scenes could be too as long as you don’t mind gruesome/awesome-looking squirrel-on-squirrel violence adorning your walls.
The one area she (somehow) manages to improve upon is the motion found within the panels. Two images in particular are one tear in reality away from leaping off the page and biting you in the throat.
As far as the story goes, it’s good, but not my favorite part of Ash Maczko’s work on the series. Part of the problem is the gap between issues. As soon as I was done with the first read, I went back and reread issue #3. After that, #4 made a hell of a lot more sense. Still, the human/pre-apocalypse prologues don’t lead to much beyond a frustrating tease. The ending of the story proper has the same ‘SO WHAT THE HELL HAPPENS NEXT?’ feel—which may have been the plan/parallel Mazcko was going for, but it still didn’t feel like much of and ending…
…which is also kind of cool since Maczko has said that Squarriors will return (HUZZAH!). I just kind of wish this final issue of ‘Squarriors: Season 1’ had given us a little more resolution.
All that being said, the writing is still great, especially with regards to issue’s many great character moments. And on a Kickstarter-funded project like this, that’s something that absolutely cannot be taken for granted. I have read so many self published and crowdfunded comics that feature amazing artwork coupled with atrocious storytelling and dialogue. Maczko could have easily slopped together a chunky, watered-down bowl of word soup and let Witter’s art carry the series. Instead, he gave us a compelling and exciting narrative full of great characters. Even with this issue’s somewhat weak/ambiguous ending, Squarriors #4 still has a lot of great moments. And when you read the issues back-to-back, it flows even better.
So will I be trade waiting for the next season of Squarriors? Heck no! I’ll be picking up single issues, story flow be damned. This isn’t just a good series. It’s something truly special. Hats off to Team Ash for making the trials and tribulations of creatures running through my backyard into something gorgeous, compelling, and fun. I hate myself for making this pun, but you’d be nuts not to have Squarriors on your pull list.
Squarriors #4 comes out September 23rd.
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