Down At The Crossroads: Animosity #23 Reviewed
by Josh Davison
[*Mild Spoilers Ahead!]
Jesse, Sandor, and the others have made it to Alabama and have reached a crossroads settlement. They stop to pick up supplies, and Jesse writes a letter to her older brother. She knows the crew is splitting up, and she worries about how the ones who leave will fair. Also, Jesse’s birthday is coming up soon, and Sandor, Zarza, Mittens, Potter, and the others who’ve been with Jesse for a long time want to put together a Bat Mitzvah for her. They begin to gather the supplies for it, and a pair of hunters begin spying on them.
Animosity #23 finds the caravan continuing its journey in earnest. They’ve made it as far west as Alabama, and some of the crew have taken leave and gone their own path in that time.
This issue focuses on the “main” caravan members who have been with Jesse for a long time, namely Sandor, Zarza, and Potter. Sandor has trouble expressing his gratitude to Zarza for some of his recent acts of kindness and heroism, and Potter wants to share his full story with Jesse but can’t find the strength to tell her directly.
On the whole, this comic focuses on the emotional connections between the core animals of the group and Jesse. They want to show their gratitude to her, even while the exhaustion of their journey clearly weighs upon all of them. It’s endearing, heartfelt, and even a little uplifting.
Elton Thomasi and Rafael de Latorre split the visual work in this issue, and both artists once again show off their talent well. Thomasi and De Latorre have quite a way of rendering the world of Animosity, and I hope to see plenty more work from both on this series. Rob Schwager’s color art is great too, giving this book a very strong sense of atmosphere.
Animosity #23 gives us an intimate issue of the animal companions of Jesse working to create a special occasion for her. It’s heavy but heartwarming, and it reminds the reader why these characters are so compelling. This one is easily worth a recommendation. Check it out.
Animosity #23 comes to us from writer Marguerite Bennett, artists Elton Thomasi and Rafael de Latorre, color artist Rob Schwager, letterer Taylor Esposito, and cover artist Rafael de Latorre with Marcelo Maiolo.
Final Score: 8/10
