REVIEW: ‘Far Sector,’ Issue #11

Far Sector #11 is published by DC Comics under its Young Animal imprint, written by N.K. Jemisin with art by Jamal Campbell and letters by Deron Bennett. With access to the referendum servers largely severed and violence breaking out across the City Enduring, things can’t get a whole lot worse. Or at least, that’s what you’d think. But the lengths some people are willing to go for a twisted agenda will really shock you sometimes.

The City Enduring is plunged fully into violence and revolution. Having secured former Counselor Marth, Lantern Mullein, and Peace Accountant Syzn hope they may yet be able to defuse the rapidly escalating situation before the entire city goes up in flames. But there comes a point in such extreme circumstances that reason stops seeming to have any real weight. And once you get there, only one option generally remains. 

As Far Sector #11 is the penultimate issue in the series, there is a lot of explaining, reveals, and final moves being made through this book’s story. So there is not much I can talk about without diving into spoilers. We are even given some hints about the nature of Mullein’s presence within the Corp itself that raises questions. 

What I can say about the story is that it is filled with tension, character, and even the appropriately placed moments of humor to make it an amazing and captivating read. Jemisin has never struggled with making Far Sector an engaging story, and he seems to be at the top of his game here. With every gut-wrenching moment as the protagonists struggle to keep the worst-case scenarios from playing out, Jemisin delivers all the tension and gravity of the situation perfectly.

Further increasing the intensity of Far Sector #11’s story is Campbell’s flawless artwork. Every emotion that presents itself throughout this story is delivered at 110%. This is especially true for Mullein. Just like with the recent riot, she is seen here throwing her all into her efforts to disarm the situation before it’s too late. Campbell spares no effort in showing just how much Mullein puts into her job.

Just as with prior issues, Campbell further enhances the story through some of the most brilliant colorwork in comics. The dazzling palettes simultaneously deliver a striking and memorable look to the book while also feeding into the story’s tension and energy. Even without all the previously mentioned elements, the book would be worth buying just for this alone. 

Wrapping up our look at Far Sector #11 is Bennett’s letters. While the bulk of this book’s letters deliver the story in a component fashion, I would have liked to see more energy in some of the dialogue. As the level-headed discussion devolves into shouting, the letters could’ve done more to project this extra energy.

When all is said and done, Far Sector #11 delivers a near-flawless setup for its upcoming finale issue. With the stakes as high as they can get for the City Enduring, all that remains is to see if Mullein truly has what it takes to wear that emerald ring on her finger. 

Far Sector #11 is available now wherever comics are sold.