Faith #12 (Comic) Review

It would appear that the end of the Faith standalone comic run is upon us.

The short lived run, lasting just 12 issues, lasted long enough to have a few neat moments throughout, and used a wit in writing that isn’t often seen in comics. When you’re reading the twelfth issue of Faith, though, it is important not to get too hung up on any one thing in particular. The book is a minor success overall.

A plot with no resolution:

My biggest complaint with this apparent final issue of Faith isn’t the plot contained within the book. If this were just the end of an arc or a single issue, I would probably really enjoy the path the writers chose.

As it stands here, though? I dislike the direction the book goes. Without going into spoiler territory, I feel it is safe to say that the writers left readers with a hole in the plot. A giant hole which can only be filled if the Faith character appears in a new book in the future.

I normally don’t have an issue with cliff hangers. I watch The Walking Dead religiously! The cliffhanger here isn’t a real cliffhanger though. With a series discontinued, the only way readers can get closure is if Faith appears in a sequel book or in another series. That just really rubs me the wrong way as a conclusion to such a short run.

Otherwise, the plot within the book is fun and even makes sense. Character interactions make sense in the world the writers build and the plot they present.

Writing fit for Faith

As I noted in a previous Faith review, I think the writing is one of the stronger parts of the Faith books.

Characters are witty and have funny dialogue. The writing in Faith remains its strongest asset. The way the characters interact makes sense and they tend to do so in a fun and funny way. I counted at least four times where I openly chuckled in the pages of this final issue. The writing knows exactly which string to pluck to make each situation humorous.

One piece of the dialogue writing I do not enjoy is the references to DC comics. This is a subjective thing, but hearing Faith say things like “I wish I was Batman,” kind of pulls me out of the moment.

The writing is by far the strongest part of Faith overall though, and it remains so to the very end.

Artwork that gets the point across

The artwork in Faith falls somewhere in the middle.

It gets the point across, but doesn’t do so in a particularly groundbreaking way. It doesn’t get me excited to look at the panels in the same way that, say X-O Manowar would. That doesn’t mean the art is bad though.

The art is more subdued and less extravagant than bigger books, but I am not faulting it for that. Faith is a more humble character than Aric. Despite my seeming gripes about the artwork, I really did enjoy it. Take a look at these preview panels.

Overall…

This is a fun book. That much doesn’t change in the final issue. If it weren’t for the glaring way in which the book ends, I would argue that the twelfth issue of Faith was worth picking up. It still is if you’re a fan of the series, but for interested bystanders this probably isn’t the spot to jump on.

Faith #12
Release Date: June 7th, 2017
Format: Comic book
Publisher: Valiant Comics
Written by: Jody Houser
Illustrated by: Joe Eisma