The Wake in a Nutshell

Released: May 29 2013

Publisher: Vertigo

I don’t know if there has been a comic that has looked as good as the Wake released recently. Both Sean Murphy and Matt Hollingsworth do amazing things with the artwork throughout this comic. The dark and spooky underwater tones of the first half of the story contrast incredibly with the more vibrant colors of the post-apocalypse world. Writer Scott Snyder does an excellent job of developing the world many years after it’s been invaded by the sea antagonists of the Wake. There is an amazing map of the new world (pictured below) that appears in the middle of the story that shows just how much Snyder and company thought about the new world they were detailing. The story follows Dr. Archer as she uncovers a dark species that resides in the oceans depths. Thousands of years later the story follows Leeward, a young adventurer who discovers the origins of the species. Both characters are incredibly compelling and well written heroines. If that isn’t enough for you Leeward has a Dolphin sidekick to help her fight off the ‘mers’, as people come to dub the antagonistic species. The jump in time, midway through the story, is a daring one that pays off in spades for Snyder. The title of the story is also fascinating. It refers to multiple aspects of the story, a funeral wake, a wake relating to water and waking up to name a few. This is definitely a story to check out if you dig science fiction.