GEIGER #8, by Image Comics on 11/20/24, brings Geiger and Nate to idyllic Grover’s Corners, the only town spared the fallout from the Unknown War. Will the town survive their visit?
Credits:
- Writer: Geoff Johns
- Artist: Paul Pelletier, Andrew Hennessy
- Colorist: John Kalisz
- Letterer: Rob Leigh
- Cover Artist: Gary Frank, Brad Anderson (cover A)
- Publisher: Image Comics
- Release Date: November 20, 2024
- Comic Rating: Teen (for violence)
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Page Count: 36
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of GEIGER #8:
First Impressions:
Geiger’s next stop on his long, slow journey to Lewistown, Montana, will remind the reader that, even in the midst of a safe haven, good men are still capable of doing bad things. Writer Geoff Johns’s latest chapter in the post-apocalyptic series is still light on forward progress toward Geiger’s quest to find a cure, but the uneasy atmosphere, reminiscent of an episode of The Walking Dead, will have you on edge.
Plot Analysis:
When last we left the Glowing Man in Geiger #7, he and Nate the Nuclear Knight stumbled upon a group of teenagers on their way to find another man who supposedly cured himself of the same condition as Geiger. The teenagers were cornered by a pack of giant ants, so Geiger and Nate exterminated the monsters. In exchange, the teens offered Geiger and Nate to visit their village.
In Geiger #8, we begin with a brief prologue at a gathering of the nine heads of the post-war regions. Their agenda? Find and capture (or eliminate) the Glowing Man. Meanwhile, Geiger and Nate follow the three adolescents they rescued in the last issue through an underground tunnel to a miraculous sight – a town spared the radiation and fallout by the natural walls created by the surrounding hillsides, Grover’s Corners.
The Walking Dead analogy is an apt one. When a town survives relatively untouched after an apocalyptic event, it’s sure bet the residents have gone to extreme lengths to maintain their safety from outsiders. Let’s just hope Glowing Man isn’t the next dish on the local diner’s menu.
Geiger and Nate are met by the leaders of the town, who offer the travelers a hot meal and a night’s rest. The town leader, Bill Webb, explains how the town survived the devastation and horrors he witnessed as a firefighter sent to a neighboring town that didn’t have the same luck. Webb is open with Geiger about the town’s operations, but he’s displeased with the adolescents for inviting strangers to their protected town.
Geoff Johns wisely keeps the tone of the conversation civil without dipping into veiled threats or sinister phrasing. Before the talk is done, you’ll feel confident Webb is a good man determined to protect his family and town.
Geiger wakes up in the middle of the night from a nightmare, but a sound from outside draws his attention. In the street below, Webb publicly burns the books the children found during their unsanctioned field trip and books stolen from Geiger’s satchel. When Geiger confronts Webb about the book burning, Webb explains the next generations need to move on from the past to prevent a repeat of the Unknown War in the future.
The issue ends with an agreement to disagree, an early-than-expected departure, and the wolves at the door.
Overall, Geiger #8 is another tension-filled issue that builds out Geiger’s world and keeps readers on their toes with the threat of danger at every turn. That said, the slow pace of Geiger’s journey may prompt some readers to “wait for the trade.”
Artwork and Presentation:
Paul Pelletier, Andrew Hennessy, and John Kalisz have combined their artistic powers to form the guest team in lieu of Gary Frank and Brad Anderson. What’s the verdict? The art is pretty darn good. In fairness, Gary Frank is a Class-A act to follow, so any artist would have pretty big shoes to fill there, but Pelletier, Hennessy, and Kalisz do a stellar job living up to a living legend.
Art Samples:
The Bigger Picture:
Series Continuity:
No, there’s no official word yet on when or where Geiger will cross over with Junkyard Joe and Redcoat. We know some kind of crossover is in the works, and those characters have appeared very briefly in previous issues, but the big event that brings the three together is still a future mystery.
Final Thoughts:
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GEIGER #8 will set hour shorthairs on edge when Geiger and Nate enter an idyllic town unaffected by the ravages of nuclear war. Geoff Johns successfully creates an uneasy atmosphere, with a town that may or may not be on the level, and the guest art team’s output is stellar. That said, readers looking for more progress on the main plot may feel this side quest is unnecessary.
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