Review: ‘Ordinary Gods’ #10 Faces Truncations

The cover features the work of artist Eduardo Ferigato with hues by colorist by Frank William. Ferigato creates an amazing amount of depth. Not to mention Ferigato does so while keeping every element in mostly realistic proportion. The color palette William applies has a nice range that amplifies the realism the setting. William’s choice of hues also contrast nicely with the thinner lines Ferigato executes.

Writers Kyle Higgins and Joe Clark create a script that is relatively strong. The script’s main strengths are the realism of the dialogue and the differing personalities of each character. A key example of how the personalities differ occurs with how each character relates communication in a team dynamic. Thus, the dialogue has to be realistic enough to make each voice seem unique. Letterer Clayton Cowles enhances this aspect of dialogue with suitable placement. Cowles’ placement of the text helps Higgins and Clark’s characterization via the suggestion of altering response times.

Unfortunately, the use of different settings for each character occurs in a way that requires truncation of all narrative elements. One case of truncation is in the page layouts of the interior visuals by artist Daniel HDR and Frank William. Most of these pages feature at least one panel for each of the main cast. This causes a problem equivalent to compressing multiple issues of this series to around a fraction of this issue. Not to mention that all of the text elements have to fit each panel just right. Thus, Cowles, for example, is left with no room to be creative with the sizing of the text, and suggestions of alternating vocal volumes suffer.

The respective visual work of logo designer Rich Bloom, production artist Rich Fowlks, and editor/designer Micheal Busuttil is still good. However, none of them are bringing anything new to his issue.

Ordinary Gods #10 is out now from Image.