ASCENDER #12 hits comic book stores on Wednesday, September 2nd, and it tells a tale longtime fans of Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen’s Descender/Ascender mythos will enjoy. Readers get to follow Andy once again as he searches for meaning after the death of Effie. And it’s nothing short of a wild ride.
Story
The issue opens with Andy traversing the landscape with the body of his recently deceased Effie. Readers will remember her death in issue #10—an event even more tragic due to her being controlled by Mother’s vampiric powers. And now Andy replays the various points in which he found—and lost—Effie throughout his life.
This form of storytelling is sobering to the core. We feel Andy’s heartache as he recounts the cherished memories with his other half. Lemire proves once again how well-suited he is for writing this narrative—especially the manner in which he crafts another return of a fan favorite character.
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But this isn’t the only story told within this issue. Readers are brought to the de-aged Mother as she and her ancestor scry the cosmos, looking for the UGC’s source of power. And what they find is, ironically, unforeseen.
Artwork
Nguyen’s artwork did a great job of capturing the emotions in this issue. The shaded lines representing the wrinkles on Andy’s face reflect the years of hardship he’s endured just to be with Effie. Steve Wands’s lettering adds to this effect as well. The spacing between each of Andy’s word balloon adds perfect pacing to the story.
Conclusion
ASCENDER #12 paid ultimate fan service with a character return that fits well with the structure of Ascender’s universe. We are anxious to learn what becomes of this character in the coming issues.
Were you excited about the return of one of the series’s favorite characters? Let us know in the comments below!
