Review: SILK #15

SILK #15
Written by Robbie Thompson
Art by Irene Strychalski, Ian Herring, and Irma Kniivila
Published by Marvel Comics
Release Date: December 14, 2016

After a string of adventures that took Cindy to the Negative Zone and reunited her with her family, she’s taking some time away from New York to scope out a different scene: San Francisco. She jumped at the chance to take a remote assignment when her boss, J. Jonah Jameson, offered it. Now Cindy and her formerly dead, currently a ghost ex-boyfriend Hector are investigating the office building of New U, a mysterious tech company, when Cindy is confronted by former Spider-Woman, Mattie Franklin.

The action in this issue is split between four places: Cindy and Mattie on New U’s roof, Hector inside with two classic villains, Cindy’s family at their apartment in New York, and Cindy’s friends, Lola and Rafferty. Lola and Rafferty have been a consistent delight throughout Silk, and are one of Marvel’s few queer couples that we see on a regular basis. I like how the creative team shows their comfortable, affectionate interactions as a couple and their personalities. Rafferty’s analytical nature and Lola’s straightforwardness complement each other, and their obvious concern for Cindy feels genuine.

While all of the plot elements that make us love Silk are here, this issue is a lot more disjointed than recent issues. Mattie and Cindy’s conversation feels rushed, and especially seems like it jumps forward to Mattie’s conclusion that Cindy doesn’t trust people. The insertion of Electro only serves to tease future issues and doesn’t weigh on the plot. Perhaps what is most different from past issues of Silk is that this issue is missing the emotional pull of Cindy’s internal monologue. While we read a moderate amount of Cindy’s thoughts, they don’t betray as much processing or tension as we’re used to.

Irene Strychalski’s art style feels clean and expressive. Some heads, especially Albert’s and Cindy’s dad’s, seem to be drawn slightly oversized in proportion to their torsos, giving a bit of an anime or manga feel. I really like the glossiness of Herring and Kniivila’s colors, especially Mattie’s costume — which looks fantastic — and Albert’s face and hair. Strychalski also impresses with the stylization of Rafferty’s collar and braids, and Cindy and J. Jonah Jameson’s variety of poses in their extended scene. Strychalski has a masterful eye for unique angles and perfect framing, such as when Jameson appears through the peephole in Cindy’s door, and when Cindy and Jameson are sitting in the backseat of a taxi.

Silk‘s creative team is setting up a longer story, and this second issue puts the pieces in position without pushing the plot forward too much. Despite little action in this episode, Silk is a deeply engaging story with likable characters and relatable themes. Cindy Moon stands out as one of the most down-to-earth heroes in the Marvel universe, and we’re here for her every adventure.

The Verdict: 6.0/10

Authors

Related posts

Top