“The tension building we’ve seen across the last few issues of Home Sick Pilots is just about to get its release and honestly I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen as the band rivalry between the Home Sick Pilots and the Nuclear Bastards is about to reach a whole new level.”
Writer: Dan Watters
Artist: Caspar Wijngaard
Lettered: Aditya Bidikar
Designer: Tom Muller
Production Artist: Erika Schnatz
Meg is powering a government created mech suit named The Nuclear Bastard using energy from all the ghosts of the Nevada desert that found their end as a result of the United States testing nuclear weapons there. As you might imagine they’re some pretty angry ghosts and they’re heading to Seattle, specifically to Ami and the Old James House.
We’re close to the end of this arc of Home Sick Pilots and that means it’s time for Ami to decide if she’s going to keep running or return to the Old James House. In fact, that’s what a lot of this issue deals with, Ami talking to Buzz about responsibilities and that, even though the ghosts aren’t hers, she does have the ability to do something positive with them rather than leaving them to their own devices and letting them cause chaos. She can do something positive, so she feels it’s her responsibility to do so.
It’s an issue packed with great character work and, as Ami takes on new responsibilities Buzz is more concerned for her safety and their future. We also see Rip and Trish (one of the System Disrupt agents) tearing their way across the country in a haunted house tank in an effort to intercept the Nuclear Bastard.
In my previous reviews I’ve praised every member of the creative team and I don’t want to repeat myself, but they’re all still on top form here. Caspar Wijngaard’s art and colouring throughout this issue are entirely perfect, packed with emotion in the scenes focusing on Ami, Buzz and Rip and immediately unsettling when the ghosts make an appearance. Dan Watter’s writing is the best it’s ever been in Home Sick Pilots, balancing strong character writing with great action and horror sequences to tell an absolutely must read story. Oh, and Aditya Bidikar is still killing it on the lettering, his work is immediately recognisable, he’s just one of the best letterers there is right now.
Let’s review, this is a gorgeous, well written book with great character work, haunted house tanks and haunted house mechs.
The tension building we’ve seen across the last few issues of Home Sick Pilots is just about to get its release and honestly I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen as the band rivalry between the Home Sick Pilots and the Nuclear Bastards is about to reach a whole new level.
Bigger Than Capes 