Posted in: Comics | Tagged: aftershock, animosity, dystopia, HRL, Marguerite Bennet, Rafael De Latorre, sci-fi
Animosity #11 Review: Heavy and Heartfelt Talking Animals
Jesse has come face-to-face with the hive, and they are unsure if they trust her. The farmers have enslaved and exploited the bees for their pollination, and this has left them with a very negative view of humanity.
The farmers show no signs of changing their ways either, as they are intent on stopping Jesse from freeing their insect captives.
Marguerite Bennett and Rafael de Latorre strike again with another compelling entry in the Animosity series. This issue brings the tension, the heart, and the tough decisions which have defined the series.
The situation with the bees and the farm is undoubtedly terrible, only worsened by the fact that they're actually trying to preserve some part of the farming infrastructure. They're doing a lot of good by doing some bad, but does that truly justify the bad?
Plus, Jesse's old cat Mittens works with farmers. She believes in the morality of what they're doing, even if she knows it's wrong. She believes it's a necessity, and it causes more pain in Jesse.
Lastly, Jesse's animal friends debatably make it even worse by throwing a massive monkey wrench into the situation.
Animosity #11 has no qualms in presenting some uncomfortable truths all-too relevant to the way our world actually works, sans the talking animals.
I do wish we had talking animals.
There's a focus on the amount and size of the bees in Mittens justifying of the exploitation of them. They're hard to see, hard to hear, and populous. It's a good way to work around the horrible things you're doing or the horrible things we're allowing by purchasing from companies with sweatshops in third-world nations halfway around the globe.
Alas, capitalism.
De Latorre's artwork is as strong as ever. He brings Jesse and the animals to life in a visually stunning fashion. The atmosphere and grittiness of the comic are palpable. Rob Schwager's color art remains strong, too, giving the world a lot more weight in its dower tones.
Animosity #11 is another excellent chapter in the series from Bennett and company. The story is still going strong, the characters are still lovable, and de Latorre and Schwager are killing it on the visual side. This one gets a strong recommendation. Give it a read.