The Bounce #7
Jasper has definitely gotten a bit more than he bargained for. Looking for answers which he fears the truth of, and seeing the conspiracy behind it all which could dig him into a deeper hole than he already has. As they say, this world is dirty as it feels. There are consequences for everything they do, no one is untouchable when higher powers of authority are at the center of this catastrophe.
The focus on The Vamp was very enlightening. Getting an idea as to how she got her powers, what it is that her powers do to the victims and much more. Every person who got these powers is connected in some way, and she is that one last connection with Joe Casey needed to make in order to bring it all full circle. It is through a character like her that you see the drive in everyone’s motivations. Searching for answers, surviving, taking advantage of what they have in a world that doesn’t know the existence of superpowers. You get this sense of clarity that draws you into the story considering that everything is falling apart in this city.
Here we see that world in which Joe Casey is trying to create. Good vs evil, cops vs robbers, that line has been drawn in the sand between those with good intentions for the powers they have and those who do not. The dialogue was brilliant as the philosophical nature of The Vamp makes her believable as the villain. Seeing through hers and Jasper’s guise as just regular people wearing costumes to make sense of this world which they don’t understand anymore. Everything is coming together now to be able to see the heroes tale unfolding.
Overall this is what we should want to see more of from The Bounce. David Messina does a great job capturing the intense nature of this issue. The despair of it all considering we are supposed to be seeing how this world is being turned upside down and exposed after the emergence of those such as Jasper. Characterization was what this story had been needing, and it came at a great time where you needed to know what went on within their heads to continue with its progression. Nothing is as it seems and the suspense Casey creates makes you feel a lot more invested to question what comes next. You’d already figure things are going to get worse before they get better.