Advance Review: ‘White Sky’ #6 Completes Initial Story Arc Leaving More Questions Than Answers

Story arcs in comics are funny things.

First, they are pretty arbitrary. The arc begins and ends when the creators say it does. Usually there is some climax, though sometimes it’s more a shift of location or time.

With its sixth issue, White Sky tells us that it has come to the end of its first story arc. Frankly, though, the story doesn’t feel like it.

Actually, it’s more like two semi-related stories written by William Harms at this point. In post-apocalyptic San Franscico,  Violet is now alone, after the death of physic Walter. But her loneliness is short-lived when a friendly ghost of a little girl visits her. Why is it friendly? The circumstances are vague — much like the rest of the story.

Meanwhile Violet’s dad David is trying to adjust to his new life in the scavenger camp, where he is, more or less, a prisoner. They are both trying to find each other after separating in the first issue, but little else connects the pair at this point.

The problem with Harms’ narrative isn’t so much the separate stories as it is the lack of context and exposition. Too much of either could slow the story down. But Harms gives us practically nothing here since the beginning of the series. Instead of answering questions, he just gives us new ones to ponder. It’s likely to turn off more readers than it excites.

Ditto with J.P. Mavinga’s illustrations. His depictions of Violet are good, but David looks like you’re watching him through a haze. Maybe it’s supposed to the because of the white sky (which still hasn’t been explained yet either), but it just looks off. And the lack of backgrounds limit the illustrations’ impact.

The series will take a month or two off before returning with a standalone issue and then kicking off a new story arc — whatever that means.

White Sky #6 — written by William Harms, illustrated by J.P. Mavinga, colored by Lee Loughridge, and lettered by Ed Dukeshire – will be available Wednesday in comic book stores and on digital platforms from Image Comics.