Review: Middlewest #14 Grows Up By Young And Corona
by Tony Thornley
Abel’s journey in Middlewest has been parallel to growing up, starting with a child facing his fears and progressing to a young man fighting for himself and his found family. Middlewest #14 continues that journey for one exceptional young man.
Skottie Young, Jorge Corona, Jean-Francois Beaulieu, and Nate Piekos show how Abel has grown in the midst of his toughest situation yet.
Abel has found himself growing closer with his teammates at Raider Farms. However when he prevents a near tragedy, things change for him quickly. And they change in a way that could help Abel, Bobby and their new friends change their lives for the best…
In the last year, Young has crafted a fascinating journey for our young heroes. It’s been fantastic watching them grow up, and this issue is a strong example of that. Abel still feels like the same character that the series started with, but he’s not the same person. While he’s doing this, he continues to build this world, adding new and interesting layers to it.
What Young does in the script, Corona and Beaulieu do in their art and more. The unforgiving fields of Raider Farms feel imposing an alien. Meanwhile the design of the young workers’ suits are foreboding and convey the danger they’re in with every move.
They also keep the majority of the adults masked in a creative decision that makes them feel inhuman and monstrous. Every choice in the art is very deliberate and intelligent. It’s all with a purpose to build a vibrant fantasy world only a few degrees removed from our own.
I still look forward to this book every month. It’s an enjoyable and thrilling read every month, and I genuinely am excited to see what’s next.
Middlewest #14 is available now from Image Comics.
