Synder and Soule are back at it again with another issue of one of the most terrifying and prescient series out there.

Out on the open seas of the Zone of Possibility, the zone of creativity and American exceptionalism. Tasked with creating something uniquely and profoundly American, the team sails the waters in an attempt to move on to the next zone in the spiral of the new United States. With so much focusing on the creativity of Americans and its impact on culture, it figures that the main subject of this issue is to navigate the waves of Possibility on the winds of a song. With American music being one of the most pervasive things in global culture, it’s fitting that music will be what gets them through.

This is a tense and brilliant issue that really tracks what has been one of the most interesting of the zones explored so far. Pre-Sealing America is something we all know, and getting a chance to see where pop culture meets history for this series is fascinating. It’s commendable that Snyder and Soule are using this zone to really flex their creative abilities. There’s so much to this series, and this arc has been the epitome of that.

This series and its tense beauty wouldn’t be possible without Snyder and Soule’s artistic partner in this, Giuseppe Camuncoli. This is a gorgeous book, full of wild landscapes, interesting characters, and some of the most unique visuals in comics. Adding to Camuncoli’s work is stellar inker Leonardo Marcello Grassi and brilliant colorist Matt Wilson who really helps to bring this world to life.

This is a hard series to describe, because it’s both a complete fantasy and something that feels like not only could it happen, but that it’s already begun. America closing itself off from the world – not only culturally, but physically – is something that feels plausible and completely terrifying. This series fills me with an unfamiliar sense of dread and fascination, making it an oddly uncomfortable read and one that cannot be looked away from.

I’m very excited to see where this arc goes, where this series goes, and how it’ll resolve. Given the subject matter, I’m not certain that I want to know, but as soon as each new issue releases, I find myself jumping at the chance to see it for myself.

Creative Team: Charles Soule, Scott Snyder (writers), Giuseppe Camuncoli, Leonardo Marcello Grassi (artists), Matt Wilson (colorist), Crank! (letterer)
Publisher: Image Comics
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