SILK #10
Written by Robbie Thompson
Art by Tana Ford and Ian Herring
Published by Marvel Comics
Release Date: July 13, 2016

Cindy Moon has been a superhero for a relatively short time, but already she’s faced a number of challenges, including going undercover working for Black Cat. While Silk‘s debut series in 2015 centered on her search for her family, the heart and soul of this current series is her unexpected relationship with Black Cat.

Cindy has become Black Cat’s confidant and friend (although Black Cat would never admit that). In this latest issue, Black Cat knows Cindy is working for S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Mockingbird, and Robbie Thompson brings the story to a climactic confrontation.

Thompson shows Cindy exercising her ability to trust or distrust certain people. A stranger in a skeleton-like costume appears and calls Silk “Cindy” but doesn’t identify himself. Silk understandably tells him to stay away from her.

Meanwhile, Silk is optimistic that Black Cat can walk a redemptive path. Silk tells her repeatedly that she’s not “all bad.” It’s heartbreaking yet inspiring to see Silk believe there is goodness inside this person whom she has come to see as a mentor and friend.

The best part of this issue is Silk and Black Cat’s dialogue, and I only wish there were more of it. They have a comfortable banter, like roommates or high school friends. I like the conversation when Black Cat refuses to turn herself in – “And go to jail for the next sixty years?” – but wish Black Cat could have been even more snarky or resentful.

Last issue had a lot of emotional weight that fleshed out Black Cat’s ambivalence with the law; if you missed last issue and only pick up this issue, you might feel like Black Cat’s attitude and actions are abrupt.

Tana Ford and Ian Herring give each page depth, nuanced shading, and rich color. From the first page where Silk has just suffered severe injury, Herring balances light and dark areas of the page to give a three-dimensional effect. When Ford zooms in on Black Cat eavesdropping on Silk and Mockingbird’s phone call, you can see the fury and hurt in Black Cat’s face.

Ford draws perfect casual fashion: Cindy’s coworkers, Lola and Rafferty, have memorable style including a pinstripe button-down and subtle accessories. I like how Ford always poses characters in some kind of motion, such as Lola throwing up defeated hands, and Cindy’s lean and head tilt when she answers Mockingbird’s call.

Silk is a story of relationships: Cindy’s friendship with Lola and Rafferty, her complicated closeness with Black Cat, and her longing for her family. Robbie Thompson knows how to pull our heartstrings. Silk captures the sense of hope and adventure we crave in comics.

The Verdict: 8.0/10