Review: Books of Magic #18

by Tony Farina
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Review: Books of Magic #18


[Editor’s Note: This Review may contain spoilers]

Writer:  Kat Howard

Artist: Tom Fowler, Craig A. Taillefer

Colors: Brian Reber

Letters: Todd Klein

 

Reviewer: Tony Farina

Summary

In Books of Magic #18, Tim Hunter has followed his future self’s instructions into total disaster… and now, in an icebound land woven from nightmares, he’ll look into the gaping maw of his own grave! The saga of Tim and his doppelgänger reaches its explosive conclusion!

Positives

There is a new colorist in town. He is called Brian Reber. He is up to the task. The muted feel of Books of Magic #18 is perfect. Tim is in a dream and in the snow and in a hell of his own making. Reber understands that nothing about that should pop off the page. It should feel heavy and wet and scary. It is really lovely.

Of course, Kat Howard is just showing off now. Whip smart plotting. Excellent dialogue. Perfect amounts of space for her art team to thrive. We all can see her fingerprints all over this book even though we know she allows Fowler and Taillefer to be the stars. Just look at this first page. Even if you hadn’t been reading this book from the beginning, even if you didn’t know what was going  on, this first page would make you, nay force you go both read on and go back and read everything that came before it.  Every panel of every single issue of this series is high art and worthy of hanging on a wall.

Books of Magic #18

Negatives

Once again, I have very little negative to say about Books of Magic. This book continues to dazzle me. I am so excited to get to it each month, but I wait, on the day it arrives and I read it last because I know, the rest of the week’s choices simply will not compare.

Verdict

This final story in what will become Volume Three of Books of Magic, once again proves that Kat Howard was the perfect choice to give Tim Howard life. Tom Fowler has been an excellent steward as well. Really, the whole team, including Carpenter’s covers have been top notch. The only hiccup was the story with Constantine in it, but even that had its merits. I simply love the way she lets the story breathes. She never tries to do too much and she never, ever talks down to her readers. Bravo Ms. Howard. Thank you for your year and a half on this title. Your time was not spent in vain. We, who love what you’ve done here, will miss you, but thanks for giving us this version of Tim Hunter. Cheers!

 

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