RAT CITY #7, by Image Comics on 10/16/24, gives Quinlan a peak into the existence of Al Simmons’s never-ending battle with Hell. Meanwhile, P.T.S.’s hunt for Peter and Quinlan heats up.
Credits:
- Writer: Erica Schultz
- Artist: Zé Carlos
- Colorist: Jay David Ramos
- Letterer: Erica Schultz
- Cover Artist: Brett Booth (cover A)
- Publisher: Image Comics
- Release Date: October 16, 2024
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $2.99
- Page Count: 28
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of RAT CITY #7:
First Impressions:
Ehh. At first pass, Rat City #7 is just okay. Writer Erica Schultz gives readers an enticing, novel twist on Spawn set in a cyberpunk world, but the novelty has worn off. At some point, Peter has to take center focus and head toward wherever he’s meant to go. So far, this series is stuck in minor bits of character-building and one-off dramatic developments that, frankly, aren’t that interesting. P.T.S. is after Peter because of his “condition.” We already know this. Now, Schultz is wasting too much time not doing anything with that setup, and the series is turning into a bore.
Plot Analysis:
When last we left Peter and Quinlan in Rat City #6, they escaped Dr. Ammon’s attempt at capturing Peter, but not before readers were given a half-issue length backstory on Dr. Ammon’s rise from an idealistic scientist into a villain. The issue ended with Quinlan becoming infected with Hellspawn nanites during the fight with and escape from Dr. Ammon.
In Rat City #7, Quinlan experiences a fever dream wherein Al Simmons, aka the original Spawn, battles the Violator in Hell. We learn the dream results from the nanites infecting Quinlan’s bloodstream from the nanites Peter used to staunch Quinlan’s wound during the fight with Dr. Ammon.
Putting aside the strangely-long backstory on Dr. Ammon in the previous issue, Schultz keeps the majority of the focus on Quinlan for some unknown reason. A hacker and the later Rhys’s love interest was probably not the character most Spawn fans signed up for, which is where the lack of focus is hurting this series.
When Quinlan’s dreams turn into physical seizures, Peter grabs what he can from a nearby medical kit. Peter stabs Quinlan through the heart with an adrenaline shot, forcing Quinlan awake. Quinlan chooses not to share the details of the dream, so Peter focuses on giving Quinlan food and drink for recovery.
Elsewhere, Dr. Boze becomes increasingly frustrated that their global scanning network can’t find Peter and Quinlan. The Hellspawn-infected nanites appear to be blocking detection. However, as soon as Quinlan recovers and the nanites return to Peter, Quinlan pops up on the global scan.
The issue ends with the chairman sending in a specialist, who looks an awful lot like Zealot from DC Comics, to capture Peter at any cost.
Overall, Rat City #7 is, at best, just there. Not much happens, the plot hasn’t taken shape, we don’t learn anything we didn’t already know, and the main character remains on the back burner for the third issue in a row.
Artwork and Presentation:
Zé Carlos’s artwork successfully combines the classic Spawn look and feel with a cyberpunk aesthetic for a world that looks familiar but stands on its own. Carlos’s visuals greatly elevate the script by giving readers panels packed with pleasing details and punch.
Art Samples:
The Bigger Picture:
Series Continuity:
If you’re not up to speed on the Spawnverse titles, Spawn and his cast of characters are mortal and powerless as a result of Nyx’s ascension to the throne of Hell in Spawn #350. It’s not clear how cutting Earth off from the power of Heaven and Hell does not affect Peter, which opens up questions about the multiverse that could be explored in future issues.
Final Thoughts:
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RAT CITY #7 gives readers cool art and builds a few corners of the world, but this title is going nowhere fast. Erica Schultz’s script is stuck in setup mode, and the main character, Peter, continues to sit in limbo as a background character. If Schulz has a story to tell, it’s long past time to get to it.
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