THE SCORCHED #23, by Image Comics on 11/8/23, brings the team to a crossroads when Jessica chooses to leave and assume leadership over Gaia’s forces.
The Details
- Written by: John Layman, Todd McFarlane
- Art by: Stephen Segovia
- Colors by: Jay David Ramos
- Letters by: AndWorld Design
- Cover art by: Dan Panosian (cover A)
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover price: $2.99
- Release date: November 8, 2023
Is THE SCORCHED #23 Good?
THE SCORCHED #23 sets up fights, reveals secrets, and lays the foundation for a fateful decision that will affect the team forever (or at least for an issue or two). John Layman and Todd McFarlane deliver an emotionally trying issue for Jessica Priest, so it’s anyone’s guess how this arc will play out.
When last we left The Scorched, the fight with Terminus, Urizen, and their Saints ended with the former dead and the rest on the run. Without a beacon to call them to Earth for feeding, the Planet Eaters departed. Now, Jessica’s choice to lead Greenworld’s team in service to Gaia creates a rift among The Scorched. Only a heart-to-heart with Spawn, and a pretty serious battle, can force Jessica to consider her true options.
If it wasn’t clear, this issue is squarely centered on Jessica’s decision to leave The Scorched for Gaia. Layman and McFarlane’s plot, such as it is gives all focus to the argument between Spawn and She-Spawn, wherein Spawn makes a gamble that may pay off in the future.
What’s great about THE SCORCHED #23? This action overflows with drama and action. The action comes by way of a powerful necro-fight between Spawn and She-Spawn when the former forces Jessica to listen to reason when he suspects her mind is not entirely her own. The drama comes by way of the team’s dissatisfaction with Jessica’s disloyal decision.
What’s not so great about THE SCORCHED #23? The story elements in this issue are strong, but the overall plot is a little light. In effect, you get an argument with an uncertain outcome. Thankfully, Image still holds the line at $2.99.
How’s the art? Fantastic. THE SCORCHED #23 is one of Stephen Segovia’s strongest issues as the overall looks leans heavily into McFarlane’s classic style. Combined with Ramos’s outstanding coloring work, this comic looks gorgeous.
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What’s THE SCORCHED #23 About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our THE SCORCHED #22 review to find out how the Planet Eaters were defeated.
We begin with a view of the approaching Planet Eaters turning around and leaving Earth’s orbit. She-Spawn’s declaration that she’s leaving to serve Gaia now that Terminus is dead still sits in the air among the team. Spawn quietly transports She-Spawn to a remote location for a quiet chat.
She-Spawn demands her team be returned to her and that they all be returned to Gaia. Spawn calmly insists she listens to reason, but Jessica will not hear any of his reasoning, so she launches an attack. Filled with Gaia’s power, Spawn sees She-Spawn as more powerful than ever. However, Spawn knows her body was not meant to hold so much power permanently.
We conclude the issue with a supernova, a homestead visit, and rest.
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Final Thoughts
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THE SCORCHED #23 escalates the dramatic stakes when Spawn tries to convince She-Spawn not to leave the team under Gaia’s influence. The action is big, the drama is bigger, and the ending puts the team’s future in question.
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