The terrain grows ever more perilous, as Torque and the mermaid travel together.
A slip almost kills Torque, but the mermaid saves him. But that’s not the only danger. Soon, a scouting party of mutants is upon them, and they are in the fight for their lives. But Torque and the mermaid have a few tricks up their sleeves. Working together, they kill the mutants before they have a chance to warn anyone that they are there. But that’s not their only enemy. A lava flow nearly kills Torque, but he survives, and, in the aftermath, he spots something important—the silver trident.
Estimating it will only take a couple of weeks to reach it, Torque and the mermaid settle down for the night before their journey. She tells him how her mother made her memorize the way to the trident and what lay nearby. Something called an ocean. A place where water stretches “as far as the eye can see.” She also shares with him something even more important—her name. But their night of reflection and revelation is shattered when a large band of mutants descend upon two other travelers. Now, the question is, will they help them or stay safely on the mountain?
I’ve been enjoying the story, and I appreciate the action sequences, but at this stage, I’d like Torque to have more agency. He never questions the mermaid about her name or where she comes from. I find him a bit too accommodating. He seems to be there to fit the needs of the story. If he has an agenda, it has yet to be hinted at. Torque is the kind of guy who wants to jump in and save the day every single time. But why? What makes him do that? The mermaid is more cautious which makes sense. And it’s clear in this issue that although she’s the more vulnerable of the two in this dry, waterless world, she came from a more privileged society before the world went to hell. It makes me wonder if we’re dealing with class issues in this story.
It’s an interesting world that Kim has developed, and I think we’ve only scratched the surface.
Creative Team: Derek Kirk Kim (writer/artist)
Publisher: Image Comics
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