High Level #4
Recap
Thirteen awakens to find herself in the Sunken Lands, a flood-ravaged realm filthy with the massive bones of genetically engineered super-beasts bred before the Great Disruption. But where’s that child messiah she’s meant to take to High Level? Kidnapped! Now Thirteen must track Minnow through the most dangerous place on Earth: Pleasure Island.
Review
This issue is a slight change of pace, playing as more of a mystery as Thirteen attempts to track down the kidnapped Minnow with both of their lives on the line. It made for a great way to break up the story and keep it fresh and interesting.
Through Thirteen’s thoughts and actions in this issue, we are given a much clearer picture of her feelings towards Minnow without them ever being explicitly stated. Although Thirteen may claim that she is only concerned about the money, this issue makes it clear that Minnow is more than just a bounty to her. The bond between the two is a great source of dramatic tension which will surely build until the conclusion of the series.
With each issue of this series we are shown that we haven’t even begun to see the extent of rich characters and locations this series has to offer. In this issue alone, we are introduced to the dark and mysterious Sunken Lands before Thirteen follows Minnow’s trail to Paradise Island, a place of free expression in all forms. This series has constructed a massive and extensively detailed world through both art and story in a way few have before.
This series gets more fascinating with each issue. With each step in the journey, there are shocking reveals and unexpected twists that come together in an example of fascinating world-building and compelling characterization.
Final Thoughts
A journey through strange and interesting lands with intense drama and emotion.
High Level #4: The Room at Pleasure Island
- Writing - 9/109/10
- Storyline - 9/109/10
- Art - 9/109/10
- Color - 9/109/10
- Cover Art - 9/109/10
