The Department of Truth #10

The Department of Truth #10

Image Comics 2020

Written by James Tynion IV

Illustrated by Martin Simmonds

Lettered by Aditya Bidikar

Some fictions manifest in reality as dangerous, half-formed things. The Department of Truth relies on hunters to track down and contain these wild tulpas before they become too real. It's time for Cole Turner to see this side of the job firsthand. It's time for Cole Turner to join his first Bigfoot hunt.

Oh my stars and garters this is a spectacular issue! I love Cole he’s been able to really roll with the punches as it were and this is no exception as Hawk has called him out to rural Oregon. What I love about this series is that it takes risks and it brings us ideas and thoughts that can shape reality if enough folks believe in what is said, take Trump supporters who believe in lies to the extent that they’ve created their own reality out of it. The power of belief shouldn’t go unnoticed and that James takes this and pushes it even further and breaks barriers and boundaries in so many different ways is absolutely delightful. Also that there is this network of folks who are in place to ensure that certain safeguards are upheld well it just boggles the imagination and really ignites something inside the readers mind.

I am so in love with the way that this is being told. The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is exceptionally well rendered. The character development we see through the dialogue, the narration or journal entries, the character interaction and how they act and react to the situations and circumstances they encounter is so magnificent to see. The pacing is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing more and more of the story it draws us deeper and deeper into this madness and we’re pulling up a chair to this tea party.

I am so appreciative of the way this is being structured and how we see the layers within the story continue to grow, evolve and strengthen or emerge as the avenues dictate. The layers of course are where we see some of the best characterisation, the plot twists & turns and revelations that kind of come out of nowhere. What they do is add this extra depth and complexity to the story. How we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow as well as how it moves the story forward is beautifully achieved.

The interiors here are bloody marvellous. It almost feels like a grainy film that is shot by most conspiracy folks trying to prove the existence of something. It works beautifully with this type of story and the linework is gorgeous and how we see the varying weights and techniques being utilised to create this sensational detail work is mind numbing. The composition of the panels and how they bring us depth perception, a sense of scale and that overall sense of size and scope to the story is marvellous. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a brilliant eye for storytelling. The colour work is equally as brilliant to see. The various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work is so incredibly well rendered.

We have to talk for a moment about the journal pages and Aditya’s work on those. The writing we see is beyond bloody brilliant. That they are so incredibly well rendered and how they evoke feelings and emotions is divine in my book.

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With such magnificent writing and stellar characterisation along with this near perfect interior artwork and these bloody brilliant journal pages it’s no wonder why this series keeps going back to print.