Advance Review: ‘Ordinary Gods’ #11 Triggers And Disappoints

Editor/designer Michael Busuttil, production artist Rich Fowlks, and logo designer Rich Bloom do the same level of work that they have throughout this series. Thus, there is nothing new to critique about their work.

The cover is by artist Eduardo Ferigato and colorist Frank William. This cover has a wraparound image that is not dynamic. Yes, the line work is confident, but the characterization is reliant on knowing who the characters are. Not to mention that the bad guy’s expression is too much like a statue with a weird eye-line. Fortunately, Ferigato does a great job at providing a sense of realism that matches the interior visuals that artist Daniel HDR provides. As far as William’s color palette goes it is good, especially when it comes to the setting.

(+++ Trigger warning for mentions of self-harm! +++)

Daniel HDR obviously gets to create more dynamic visuals in the story. Although most of this illusionary motion occurs from characters acting alone. While Frank William does a fine job enhancing the emotional atmosphere of these moments they may feel lacking to certain readers. Unfortunately the script calls for some severe self-harm type violence that several readers may find disturbing, if not triggering. Despite HDR and William doing a great job of depicting and coloring these moments they feel both unnecessary and overly graphic.

Writers Kyle Higgins and Joe Clark create some decent dialogue which is put in mostly competently by letterer Clayton Cowles. They also create some believable characterization with logical motivations. However, this issue’s plot is not that of a penultimate issue, but that of an interlude issue. Meaning that the narrative comes to a screeching halt in order to fill-in gaps that Higgins and Clark still need to address. It is also worth saying that they may also be telegraphing the ending of the series with the closing of this issue.

Ordinary Gods #11 is out now from Image Comics.