In our last issue, Chuck, who has been trying to survive in the apocalypse alone with his dog, Addie, met a group of kids who were also trying to survive and was invited to join them. He declined, instead opting to remain in the colorful fantasy world he’s created in his own mind.
Most of this issue is a debate between Chuck and Addie over whether this was the right decision. Safety in numbers? Or trust no one? Is teaming up with strangers in a dangerous wasteland worth the risk? Whether it is or not, it’s clear Chuck and Addie have fallen on desperate times, so if they want to survive, they’ll need to risk something.
Astute readers may have noticed that I said this was a debate between Chuck and his dog. In scenes depicting the real world, Addie is an ordinary dog. In Chuck’s fantasy world, though, she’s a cross between Hobbes and Chewbacca: his faithful, intelligent (and completely adorable) second-in-command. Fantasy Addie speaks a language conveyed to us by alien symbols, which Chuck fully understands and responds to in English, allowing us to get both sides of the conversation.
Of course, what this really means is that their debate is actually between Chuck and himself, in his own mind. This gives the conversation an extra level of depth, in my opinion, and makes it powerful to watch unfold. It also serves as a great exploration of Chuck’s character and the dynamic between him and Addie, both in the real world and the fantasy world.
This is a very odd comic, but I really like it. The writing and art come together seamlessly to build two very different versions of what are ultimately the same world—and to tell a story that ends up being a good bit deeper than it seems at first glance.
The story as a whole is very much character-driven, and this issue in particular showcases that character development in ways that will tug at your emotions. If you’ve been following OOTIW, this issue may be the best yet. And if you haven’t been following it… You probably should. It’s worth your time.
Creative Team: Lee A. Carlisle (story), Ross Carlisle (art), Marina Gonçalves (colors), Marco Ventura (letters)
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