WICKED THINGS #5, available Wednesday from Boom! Studios throws yet another mystery at young Lottie Grote. A mystery that she just can’t seem to get ahead of. Much like the mystery surrounding whoever framed her for attempted murder.
***SPOILER WARNING***
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Once upon a time, Lottie was the best teen detective around. Now she’s serving out her time helping local police. Thanks to the whole being framed for murder thing. It happens, right? Surprisingly, we’re now five issues in and the great detective hasn’t solved the case that she is the center of. Perhaps she has something hidden up her sleeve?
Wicked Things #5 starts a new crime spree, which Lottie is going to have to solve if she ever wants to be taken seriously. Or if she wants to be picked up full time, at the conclusion of her temporary sentence.
What’s interesting is that there is only one issue left to this series, which leaves very little room to wrap everything up. Anyone feeling confident enough to take a guess or two about how Lottie is going to get out of it?
The Writing
Wicked Things #5 shows off all that’s endearing and fun about this series (and all of John Allison’s characters). Lottie is her usual charming self, running around, making friends in surprising places, and trying to solve mysteries.
Despite the larger than life circumstances (teen detective turned fugitive), each and every character portrayed in the series has been wonderfully relatable. It’s a talent of Allison’s, yet it seems to shine through stronger than ever in this issue.
All while two separate mysteries are being dealt with. The first is a new crime spree, where only Lottie saw the (admittedly kind of cute) pattern on the map. The second? The murder mystery, of course. Only Lottie isn’t the one trying to solve it.
It’s honestly refreshing to see Lottie’s friend step up here, and to see a bit more of her and her motivations. It’s a complex web that the two of them have found themselves in, and it’s hard to tell if they’re aware of it or not.
The Art
If the writing inside Wicked Things #5 is charming, then the artwork is doubly so. Max Sarin (art), Whitney Cogar (colors), and Jim Campbell (letters) all had a part to play in bringing this quirky character’s adventure to life.
Lottie’s overly dramatic expressions and reactions demand the center of attention in this issue. She quickly bounces between excited and frustrated, determined and curious. Not to mention every other possible emotion in between. Her face and body language are not afraid to show how she feels, courtesy of the artistic team.
Her expressions aren’t the only ones worth looking out for. Claire’s are wonderful, finding a balance between determined and sardonic, while those of the people she interacts with are comically all over the place.
Little details bring it all to life, such as the (hilarious) little hearts found within eyes, the stars accentuating shock, and much more. Combined with an understated color palette, these scenes really do grab one’s attention.
Conclusion
Wicked Things #5 was a perfect example of a quirky yet compelling issue. It’s interesting to see how the story is unfolding. With new cases popping up, new friendships made, and all of that. Even while being so very close to the actual conclusion of the series. Just how is Lottie going to handle all of it?
