What Is Left In Days Of Hate #12?
by Josh Davison
[*Mild Spoilers Ahead!]
Arvid makes it back to Kayla’s house, and, to his relief, he finds his son safe and sound. Kayla has so many questions, and Arvid can only do his best in answering them. A lot has happened, and a lot will likely happen soon. Neither person is sure that America is a safe place for them anymore or if it will ever be a safe place for them again. Hate truly does have a grip on the country, and Arvid is unsure if his actions will have alleviated that in any way.
Days of Hate #12 brings a very understated ending to this series that often traded in innuendo, metaphor, and avoiding direct acknowledgement of events.
It always made Days of Hate a fascinating series to read, but it did make it frustrating at times. Ales Kot and Danijel Zezelj attempted polemic without the screaming rage and winding screeds with which the term is usually associated.
Days of Hate #12 brings all that to a close with a very cold and empty issue. In a way, Arvid gets a happy ending, but he always read like a side character to Xing, Amanda, and Freeman. Hell, I didn’t really learn his name until #5 or #6.
The fates of Amanda and Xing are left in the air, though #11 didn’t make it seem like Xing had much hope for a future. We’re not even entirely sure what Amanda’s final action was or what effect it had.
Like the rest of the series, Days of Hate #12 is indirect, full of innuendo, and light on words.
We’re left with a weak and half-hearted message of hope from Arvid and Kayla, though I’m not sure much more is possible at this point in history. It doesn’t seem confident, but can anyone be right now?
Danijel Zezelj’s artwork is as atmospheric and gritty as the previous 11 issues. Like the writing, it uses shadow and surrounding details to sculpt face and body structure. It looks damn good and fits the narrative like a glove. Jordie Bellaire’s color work is cold and distressed, and it suits the story just as well.
Days of Hate #12 is…I’m not sure if disappointing is the right word, and I’m not even sure disappointing is a criticism in this situation. Catharsis or writ-large political messaging wouldn’t suit this series, but something more than a half-silent epilogue about the least fleshed-out of the main cast would have been appreciated. In the end, I can’t help but recommend this to anyone who has followed this story from the first issue, but I wouldn’t build your expectations for it. Still, feel free to pick this one up.
Days of Hate #12 comes to us from writer Ales Kot, artist and cover artist Danijel Zezelj, color artist Jordie Bellaire, and letterer Aditya Bidikar.
