Review: Wasted Space #04

Writer: Michael Moreci
Artist: Hayden Sherman
Color Artist: Jason Wordie
Letterer: Jim Campbell

Review by Steve J. Ray

Revelations, machinations, devastation. This issue of Wasted Space has it all. Our trio of reluctant heroes was captured at the end of the last issue, and this issue kicks off with them in the tight clutches of ASS (the Anarchist Society Syndicate) led by Molly's brother Rex. Now Billy, Molly and Dust must find a way to out of this hole, and finally decide upon a definitive course of action.

Talk about being in a tight spot! Even if they manage to squeeze their way out, there's no light at the end of this tunnel. Legion and the hordes of Devolous Yam are waiting on the other side. Let's face it, things are looking pretty crappy.

Sorry... that's enough with the ASS jokes.

Dust To Dust

Once again Michael Moreci and gang bring us a witty, clever, action-packed and fun-filled slice of comic-book yumminess. Mr Moreci's dialogue and character interactions in this series are second to none, and work hand in hand with the off-the-wall quirky gorgeousness of Hayden Sherman's art.

The way that these characters have found their voices and personalities in just three issues is astounding. Billy has gone from agoraphobic introvert to anarchic instigator, Molly is no-one's Kitten Sis and Dust seriously needs to find himself a pair of pants.

Draw Your Own Conclusions

I've loved Hayden Sherman's non-conformist style from the get-go, but it seems like he's actually getting better with every issue. Talking heads scenes and pages that are heavy with facial close-ups and dialogue are hard to get right. The use of shading and Mr. Sherman's terrific rendering of facial expressions in his drawing are not just right, they'e brilliant.

One Size Fits All

I seriously urge anyone who hasn't yet discovered this treasure of a series to pick it up and give it a try. With a few simple lines Sherman conveys the anguish and loss of hope in Billy's expressions from the very first page. The effect of action-figure "God" blowing away like ashes in the wind, coupled with one of the best reactions to lights suddenly being switched on, on page two, help firmly cement my respect for this terrific artist.

Colour Me Happy

Of course, his art is complemented by the gorgeous colour palette of Jason Wordie. When you pick up this comic check out page two to see what I mean. As "God" fades out, the red of his eyes blows away with the black of the body, looking like flecks of blood which flow through panels two, three and four of the page. I actually feel the shock of the lights coming on as much as Billy does, thanks to Hayden's brilliant drawings married with Jason's spot-on colour work.

I've already said that there's a fair bit of dialogue this month, and letterer Jim Campbell has also done some sterling work here. The way he doesn't use the old fashioned "Perforated edge" word balloons to denote that a character is whispering, but shifts the lettering from black to grey instead is brilliant. As with all great letterers, his style flows with the art, enhancing it and making the comic very easy to read, and helping our eyes follow the action.

Conclusion

It's great to see that readers are seriously getting behind this gem of a series. Issue five was originally set to be the last one of this run, but fan support has meant that rather than just being several arcs linked together, Wasted Space will now be an on-going monthly title, running for at least 20 issues. I, for one, couldn't be happier.

Images Courtesy Of Vault Comics