Myles:
It feels like #6 just came out, but I will not complain in the slightest about more Jem! Jem and the Holograms #7 sees artist Sophie Campbell taking a breather and handing the reins over to Emma Vieceli. Transitioning artists can sometimes feel awkward for readers, but Vieceli arrives flawlessly. Though her personal style is different, Vieceli is just as gifted with emotive expressions as her predecessor, which has been consistently one of the shining characteristics of the book. Her panels are filled with character interactions, creating a constantly flow of movement on the page.
I’m so happy M. Victoria Robado remains the colorist. Her work has been every bit as important to the book’s unique style and pop as the sensational pencils. Not only does it keep the book visually consistent, but her colors work exceptionally well with Vieceli’s style just as it did with Campbell.
Jem #7 begins the “Viral” arc. Here, we find the characters dealing with the immediate fallout of the finale of “Showdown.” The Misfits are in trouble for their shenanigans during the Battle of the Bands, and Jem and the Holograms are all attempting to decompress and process their popularity surge while dealing with their own personal relationships.
I talk a lot, every time this book comes out, about Kelly Thompson’s amazing writing. About her character development and how it’s the ingredient that makes this book so wonderful. Issue 7 is a perfect example of that. You get a lot more of each individual character’s personality. I am continually in love with the fact that Thompson takes these pauses in narrative to get to know the characters, to allow them to live a little as opposed to shoving them in plot point after plot point.” Mark my words, Kelly Thompson has a glorious writing career ahead of her in comics.
As I say every month, Jem remains of one my favorite books every single time it comes out. Each subsequent issue only solidifies how truly great a book it is.