Review — The Big Bad World Catches Up With Our Hero In ‘Huck: Big Bad World’ #5

With the rural Rockwellian world of Huck well and truly shattered last issue with the shocking death of our hero’s mother, Anna Kozar, Huck: Big Bad World #5 continues in the same vein with more shocking savagery of the Lucas Trust and its heartless Witchfinder General, Mr Malik. And the opening pages truly are just that. No one, and I mean no one, is safe from execution, and before long, Huck seems very isolated and alone. It’s brutal, swift, pure Mark Millar at his bloody best. 

But, he does have help. It’s just that the help he does get is a mystery. A mystery solved on the last page, but it would be churlish of me to ruin that surprise. We’re not that kind of site. It’s enough for me to write here that it certainly makes for an interesting set-up for the concluding issue out next month.

So, let’s move on from the dramatic narrative and take a look at the art by Rafael Albuquerque, which is always a treat. His highly defined line-work, that helps define each character, is contrasted by his looser penmanship when adding the finer details to each panel and each figure. Although these finer details are sometimes lost due to some heavy-handed colouring by Dave McCaig. A rare misstep for this industry great. Particularly fun the darker opening scene, and any time Huck shows up. And he’s the star attraction! A lighter palette may have been more in order. 

This issue is quick off the mark in pacing and doesn’t really slow down as it hurls the reader from one tragedy after another at a whirlwind speed before the Lucas Trust catches up with Huck. And even then, it’s a barrage.

Fast paced, thrilling and tragic. But with a good dollop of some hope, even if Huck is the last man standing. And out now from Dark Horse Comics.