by Brian K. Vaughan, Fiona Staples (Illustrator)
Publisher: Image Comics
Format: Paperback
Genre: Sci-Fi
Release Date: July 5th, 2016
Goodreads
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Reread Reviews: Volume 1 / Volume 2 / Volume 3 / Volume 4 / Volume 5
Volume 6 gives us a time jump; Hazel is in kindergarten, learning important lessons like who can she trust and who might try to kill her at any point. Meanwhile, her parents are tiptoeing around each other, working together again but keeping their romance at a distance until they can get their daughter back, and The Will…well, The Will is not right at all, and poses a threat not just to Alana and Marko but their new ally, along with a couple of returning characters.
Basically, things are a mess, the family is scattered, but Alana and Marko will stop at nothing to get their daughter back. There are some really great panels in this one, as always, and Hazel learns she isn’t the only one who has to hide a part of herself. She is freaking adorable here, and it’s in Volume 6 that she’s old enough to carry a large part of the story herself, even exerting her own agency over events.
Each volume feels like it’s adding to this world in its own way, and we get some excellent moments in the prison where Hazel and her grandmother are kept, some disturbing scenes revolving around The Will, and we see what’s happened to Prince Robot, his son, and most importantly, Ghüs.
This series is full of heart, the artwork is absolutely gorgeous, and overall through six volumes it’s a hell of a wild ride, which doesn’t look like it’s going to end anytime soon, but as there are currently 11 volumes and I’ve read up to 8 (with volume 9 patiently waiting for me to finish my reread), there’s definitely plenty more for me. This honestly feels like one of the best graphic novels out there, delving into family relationships, the military, war and its horrors, the stress of a new family, and so, so much more, and it remains right at the top of my favourites.
Unwrapping Words 