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Wytches #5 cover by Jock and Hollingsworth

Down the burrow we go, into the deepest, darkest recesses.

The heat is insufferable, the darkness stifling, but the inane sense to survive pushes the struggle on. It is dark, dirty and gritty, mirroring the tone and sensibility of the book itself.

The Wytches den holds a magic all unto itself. It is ancient and protected, but the peace it was afforded by the local townsfolk is about to be shattered. The newest family in town won't go away into the dark quietly. The Rooks family have plans, and Charlie and Sailor will fight to hold the family together.

There is some great contextual back story in issue #5 of Wytches. Writer Scott Snyder is playing for time a little, as we finally approach the grand finale of this arc in the series. However, in doing so we get more development in the father-daughter relationship of Charlie and Sailor. This furthers our understanding of the motivations of both characters to be free from the Wytches. There is a great feeling of desperation in their actions, as each is compelled to be more heroic than the back story has shown them to be in previous situations.

In this way Snyder provides readers more of a reason to like his characters and to root for their success. We see the main characters as more human, an important contrast from the Wytches and their pawns; Charlie's fragility hits particularly close to home, projecting a hint of Snyder's own paternal fears into the story.

The eerie entry to the burrow...

A feeling of suspense lingers throughout this issue. As we have now seen the Wytches, more or less, in all their hideous glory, the real surprise is surely to be coming next issue. What we now want is to see how the main characters act when pitted against them fully, but this will have to wait, as we are once again left with a cliffhanger ending. Despite this and while this issue wasn't up to the same level as previous ones, it fulfills its purpose by setting up the last issue in the arc and bridging the climax with the rest of the preceding issues.

The pacing is now coming across very deliberate and well planned. I suspect that Snyder and Jock had this laid out conceptually from the beginning and now execute it in a very professional manner. Jock's art has all the hallmarks of an artist well in control and using his experience to the utmost, delivering some stellar work.

Down, down down it goes...

The partnership with Matt Hollingsworth is so fruitful and dynamic that this book continues to stand out from the crowd. This aligns with other publications currently coming out of IMAGE, as the publisher nurtures various series that are breaking new ground and producing a radically different type of comic in the mainstream.

As we finally get to the last issue of Wytches, what do you think has been the best part so far? Do you think this issue was up to the same standard as those preceding it? What do you hope for the outcome next issue? Let us know below or hit us with a comment on Facebook and Twitter, tell us what you love or hate about this issue and the rest and then make sure to come back in May for issue #6, the finale of this arc.