W0Rldtr33 #8: Solitude Isn’t Safety

W0Rldtr33 #8 is a solid entry in this series as it gears up the team for how to keep the world from ending. It does a great job at balancing the many threads being woven while being a tense read.

This issue takes a pause from the violence of previous entries as the group (Amanda, Liam, Yoshi, and Darren) come to terms with the death of their friend Gabriel. Despite feeling hopeless, they are met by Gabriel’s lawyer who provides them with tools that could be useful in their mission. Meanwhile, Silk, the eye-patch wearing law enforcement officer, is still hunting for the mysterious serial killer “PH34R,” and following the most recent infected lead.

Writer James Tynion IV has crafted a nightmarish tale centered around technology and similar to stories like “IT,” is all about friends having to deal with once-distant horrors coming back. While the tension has been high, with two story tracks actively happening simultaneously (the group of friends and Silk’s pursuit of PH34R), some of the stakes are lost in this issue. 

Tynion is phenomenal at creating stories that build past boiling points until final reveals or action set pieces make their grand entrance. However, this issue’s plot of the group getting an incredible host of resources to stop Ph34r takes away much of the challenge the reader has witnessed so far.  Whether it makes a drastic impact is yet to be seen, however, the convenience takes away from this particular entry. Fortunately, there is still a lot to appreciate in this issue as the script and pacing keeps readers on the edge of their seats.

Fernando Blanco (artist), Jordie Bellaire (colors) and Aditya Bidikar (letterer) all bring their A-game in this issue. From the line work of characters, to the color grading that indicates storylines, this issue is well-done, and Bidikar’s lettering work does a lot of heavy lifting with the amount of dialogue between all of the characters.