Publisher: Valiant
Writer: Jody Houser
Artist: Joe Eisma and Marguerite Sauvage
Colourist: Andrew Dalhouse
Release Date: OUT NOW!
Price: $3.99

Superheroes are just like you and me, right? Well, give or take a few super powers and the snazzy costumes and the whole evil bad guys trying to take over the world or kill us all or both.

But the thing is, all that stuff must put a strain on the mental and emotional processes, so is it any wonder that Faith, one of the most grounded and realistic characters currently in comic books, is starting to see things? In Faith #8, that’s exactly what is happening to our psiot heroine. In Faith’s case, she is seeing ghosts. Her dead relatives and friends are back and they are in a vengeful frame of mind, blaming Faith for their various demises. That would be enough to freak anyone out and Faith is on the verge of falling for their line of spectral accusations. It takes her cynical and straight talking friend Paige to snap her out of her apparition-induced funk and set her on the trail of astral butt-kicking. What she discovers when she does open up another door to Faith’s past and reveals the most surprising arch-villain of them all.

Jody Hauser is on top form in Faith #8 with a perfect blend of humour, pathos and characterization – and look out for the reference to a well-known and well-loved TV show, blink and you’ll miss it. Along the way, take the time to savour Joe Eisma and Marguerite Sauvage’s artwork. Clean cut lines with no extraneous background details detracting from the focus of the story.

In an age where more is often deemed to be better, this is an uncluttered visual breath of fresh air and gives Faith a unique look other titles would do well to emulate. Of course, there is the obligatory cliff-hanger ending, but who wouldn’t want to see what happens next to one of the nicest superheroes ever created?

Keep the Faith and you won’t be disappointed.

 

 

Reviewer: Gary Orchard
Reviews Editor: Steve Hooker