Re-reading Resonant

Recently, I set myself two goals which I wanted to focus on when it came to reading comics.

1. I wanted to get back to a place where I'm writing ... 'something' at least once a week.

2. I wanted to try and re-read everything in my collection.

Over this past week I figured I'd try and put the effort in to reach both goals by re-reading Resonant.

Resonant from Vault Comics and created by David Andry, Alejandro Aragon and Skylar Patridge, is a 10 issue post-apocalyptic story about a family living in solitude in a woodland cabin during the midst of a world ravaged by the waves, a form of psychological attack which causes people to to unleash their darkest and most violent impulses. However, when the medical supplies for his youngest child get dangerously low, Father Paxton is forced to leave his three children, Bec, Ty and Stef, in order to acquire more. But when Paxton is taken, he must do all he must to get back to them while his children defend their home from others who are doing whatever is takes to survive this nightmare world.

Now, it's been quite a while since I last read this series, having found the series back when the first issue came out and finishing it off some time later. However, it wasn't until this past Christmas that I finally achieved my goal of having the entire series in trade form. Thus, as a result, it easily picqued my attention with its being dropped at the top of my pile when I decided what to read.

I must admit, of all of the things I could have read in the last seven (plus) days, I'm not entirely sure I could have picked many better.

Resonant remains, all these years later, an utterly captivating and truly poignant story about a family trying to come back together within an almost hellish landscape. I'm pretty confident in my belief that age has not done this series any harm, in fact making the core concept of family a much stronger pull now that I have kids instead of the babies I had back when this series first came out.

This time round, it's the dynamic of the family which really draws me in. Paxton, who I recall the first time round being one of the greatest characters I've ever read, seemingly remains this tremendous source of good in a bad world who you just can't help but route for.

However, on this readthrough, I better noticed the strength of the kids. This time round I see that Bec is bad-ass character whose strength of will rivals that of her father as she (literally) fights various monsters in the name of protecting the family.

Ty is a little more conflicting here as he seems to slide into the 'rebellious teenager' position, but, I have to admit, Andry never seems to lose focus in writing him and maintains a character who while chaffing under his family never comes across as spoilt or unlikable that I would have expected of him.

There is little to say about Stef who is, essentially the series' macguffin, but he certainly brings a benefit to the story as he imbues a youthful levity which helps remind his siblings what they are all fighting for.

Beyond the main quartet though, what really hooks me into this series is the world which Andry had created around them. Introduced to the various factions along with the leads, it's these main groups of people whom the family interacts with which deeply intrigues me. This 'Post-wave' world has me thinking a lot on not only the aspect of waves but also those who are seemingly 'immune'. Andry seems to have created various characters based on a diverse set of cures. From natural immunity to both a swerve towards faith and and opposite move towards willing feeling what the waves bring up, the ideas behind these various 'people' has me more intrigued to learn how the waves are/were created as well as their connections to people in general.

Meanwhile, the art for this series once again floors me. Alejandro Aragon and Skylar Patridge (whom each get a trade a piece) have styles which perfectly compliment each other and give the story a real chaotic beauty. This is no better shown than when the waves hit, as their styles seem to devolve into a real assault of colour and rough lines. Of course, not only does this give the idea that the mindset within the waves is brutal and violent, but it certainly makes you more appreciate when the characters are in calmer waters. Of course, this is not always the case even when the waves aren't happening and the action scenes are just outstanding as they really show every detail when Paxton and Bec fight for their families.

I won't lie, by the end, I did feel that this series was missing something: An explanation as to how Bec lost her leg? (I'm kind of hoping it is was wave related) The story behind Paxton's Zen-like martial arts skills? How Maw seemingly is immune to the waves? As well as Miki's statement about a wave within Paxton (to be honest, everything about how the waves, Congregation and Spiral work would do me)? Wow! Do I wish there was a prequel.

I'll be honest, whether there was a prequel or not, I wish there was a sequel. While the end felt a little tacked on there at the last minute (like there was too much material to squeeze into that final issue), the final few pages offered up some really inticing hints at a hopeful future, as well as some lingering plot threads, which I'd love to see some resolution to.

That said, maybe it's that ending which isn't tied up in a bow which makes it all the more impactful a series? The promise of a better future could be a greater ending as it keeps your imagination running with it.

Oh well, when all is said and done, whether we ended up getting more or not, the fact remains that we were gifted 10 great issues of this phenomenal series ...

... And I'm really glad to have it on my shelves to read again.