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THE WAITING PLACE #12
Recommended (8/10)
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Slave Labor Graphics
Main story
Writer: Sean Kelley McKeever
Artist/Letters: Mike Norton
Consulting editor: Jeff Limke
"Tower"
Writer: Sean Kelley McKeever
Artist/Letters: Jason Alexander
Price: $4.95 US |
Main story: McKeever makes an interesting point through his characters in this concluding issue. The Waiting Place hasn't been about a teenage saga building to a climax. It's simply been about life in a small town. Small conflicts, small resolutions and occasionally, some semi-explosive drama. But life goes on. This is a quiet close to a quiet series, and this final script offers readers an excellent chance to bid some black-and-white friends adieu.
It's New Year's Eve, and the young residents of Northern Plains are all looking for a party. They congregate to the coolest party in town, but it leads to aggravation for most. As the evening wears on, it just makes everyone realize who his or her real friends are. Meanwhile, Scott comes to terms with his place in this small town.
Norton's art, as always, captures the youth of these characters wonderfully, not to mention their frustrations and joy, thanks to the expressive quality in his figures. Earlier scenes are a bit confusing, though, mainly because a quartet of blonde characters tend to blur. Once we leave the crowded party scene behind, though, the characters and their personal connections really come shining through in the visuals.
Maybe my memory is the problem, but McKeever seems to introduce a whole bunch of new characters, or least shines the spotlight on minor ones that didn't make much of an impression in previous issues. The gamer geeks seem new, but mind you, McKeever hits the nail on the head. I've met those guys, and there's no suppressing their enthusiasm for something most people could care less about.
The recurring theme is far from subtle, but it's effective and touching nonetheless. No one was meant to live life alone, but McKeever's look at such a notion isn't limited to romance. Friendship and family are put forward as being of equal importance. Throughout the two The Waiting Place series, the characters have lamented being stuck in a small town like Northern Plains, but ultimately, the book has been about the importance of community as a part of self. This was an anti-climactic but pleasantly quiet farewell for a well-crafted comic-book series.
Tower: Seeing McKeever broaden his storytelling scope in this recent series of backup features has been encouraging, but ultimately, the sci-fi, downtrodden tone of "Tower" conflicts far too much with the down-to-earth quality of the main feature. Maybe it's that contrast from which my disinterest stems, but I feel like there's been a lack of clarity in the storytelling that makes for an impenetrable read.
Alexander's art for this tale of a lone man's frustration with and confusion about the status quo in a downtrodden, oppressive future-scape certainly captures the mood, and its sketchy but detailed quality reminds me of Michael (Sandman: The Wake) Zulli's art.
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