Review - Fathom Volume 4 #7

If you take the bull by the horns, there's a good chance you get gored. If you challenge Aspen Matthews underwater, there's a good chance you'll drown. While the former doesn't happen in Aspen Comics' Fathom Volume 4 #7, the latter does. Sort of.

The issue is written by David Wohl, penciled by Alex Konat, colored by Beth Sotelo and John Starr and lettered by Josh Reed.

Aspen is in a tight spot. She's being held captive by the Father of the Church, a resident of the aptly named Church of the Eternal Depths. She's serving as a convenience to Nakamura, using her as a distraction (and possible sacrifice) to attack the Church.

An uneasy alliance is forged, as Aspen and the Father must fight their way out of the crumbling facility. Their partnership leads them to a possible escape route, with Aspen seeking her colleagues on the way out. All's well that doesn't end well, with Aspen faced with a more daunting task in escaping than she previously thought.

Wohl's written a fairly suspenseful issue here as the series nears a conclusion. Pairing Aspen with the Father creates the forced tension between the two and the whole time you're waiting for the Father to betray her. The fighting all around them adds another layer of drama, but with Aspen trying to escape she can't really jump into the fray.

One minor gripe about the issue is Aspen's inner-monologuing. She seems to do it a lot this issue and it's a little distracting at times. I think the reader can surmise Aspen's stalling Father by talking to him and doesn't need a box explaining what she's doing. Again, it's a minor gripe.

Konat's pencils are very Aspen-like, but there are a few "hero shots" of Aspen where she looks particularly awesome. You'd never think you would ever appreciate seeing a man drown, but his depictions of Father struggling to keep up with Aspen underwater sort of humanize the comic, allowing the reader to better relate to his predicament.

Aspen has seen her fair share of difficulties in the past, but escaping an exploding, underwater facility might be one of her toughest to date. It remains to be seen who (if any) of her running crew make it out with her. Stay tuned.

Fathom Volume 4 #7 is in stores September 7 with interiors below.