REVIEW: ‘The Marked,’ Issue #6

The Marked #6 is published by Image Comics, written by David Hine and Brian Haberlin, art by Brian Haberlin, colors by Geirrod Van Dyke, and letters by Francis Takenaga. Following their victory over Shadow Gate, the Gifted prepare to say goodbye to their dearly departed. But one fallen comrade, Pope, doesn’t seem quite ready to say goodbye.

The Marked #6 focuses on fixing my biggest issue with the original storyline from this series: it begins fleshing out the larger cast. After the Gifted hold a funeral for their fallen friends, the rest of the book is dedicated to giving us backstory and exploring the history between Klara and Pope.

As is often the case with magic users, it’s revealed that the Gifted age much slower than normal humans. Because of this, the story jumps back to the 1970s. And while the time jump changes the looks worn by the characters a bit, the designs remain top notch. Haberlin continues to do great work keeping these characters looking memorable and striking. I might have to do some fan art of a couple of these in my spare time.

While visiting a club in Berlin, our protagonists come across something that captivates the attention of Pope. I won’t say what or go deeper into the plot in general, but this hunt takes them to faraway places and introduces some new elements into the story. These revelations are interesting, particularly when one considers what it could mean for the future enemies the Gifted may encounter.

While the turn in the plot is unexpected, it is also a bit problematic. I appreciate why a particular character was introduced, but they bring a bit of baggage with them. While it’s not bad enough that I would condemn The Marked #6 for their inclusion, I wish the creators would’ve found a different way to advance the story.

The art in The Marked #6 does great at adapting to the wide variety of scenes and moments within the issue. From the opening funeral to a 70s disco and beyond, the art delivers whatever is asked of it. A great performance from Haberlin.

Van Dyke’s colors continue to look brilliant here. Everything from backgrounds and characters to magical effects pops with perfect color. The key elements of each panel are always what draws your eye. This is due in large part to the excellent color use.

The lettering by Takenaga delivers a superlative performance in this issue. Bubble placement is so strong that it even serves to guide the reader between some panels whose placement could otherwise pose a little confusion. Combine this with a few eye-catching flourishes to the text and there is nothing to complain about in the lettering performance here.

When all is said and done The Marked #6  continues the level of polish and style seen in previous books. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next as the gifted continue to bring me along on wild adventures of magic and mayhem.

The Marked #6 is available on July 1st wherever comics are sold.