Little Monsters #7
The game of cat and mouse continues as Bats, Billy, and Vickie try to find the human girl in Little Monsters #7, by writer Jeff Lemire, artist Dustin Nguyen, and letterer Steve Wands. This issue goes about things in a very interesting way, really highlighting the schism in the children.
The issue is divided into flashbacks and segments in the current day. The first flashback is between Billy and Lucas, the second is between Vickie and Yui, and the third Romie and Bats. Each one shows them in happier days, while the events in the present show Billy, Vickie, and Bats hunting down the little girl. Romie sends Yui and the girl to his sleeping place and goes to retrieve Lucas, with a fourth flashback starting between Romie and an older vampire, who tells him he must watch over the children to keep the vampire race going because he is the oldest. He stops Billy from hurting Lucas and throws the other vampire through a wall. He and Lucas meet up with Yui and the girl, and he takes them underground to his hidden place, where they find something they definitely didn’t expect.
Lemire does an excellent job with this issue by showing the dichotomy. The flashbacks are labeled with a caption box that says “How It Was” and the current stuff “How It Is,” a dividing line between them that shows just how far things have gone. These six words tell so much, as the flashbacks dig into the things that often brought them together, except the Romie and Bats one. Romie is the most complex vampire, and this chapter shows that. Readers already knew he was the oldest, but this issue demonstrates something very important: he’s the leader.
None of them know it, of course. He’s told that part of protecting others is to lie to them so they can be safe. The older vampires have been towering over the narrative for the book’s short run so far, and readers get answers in this issue. Apparently, they’re supposedly dead, and the children are the last of the vampires, which is a brilliant story hook. The best part about it is that it can go either way. The last page sets things up even more, as one of Romie’s secrets is revealed to the readers and Lucas, Yui, and the little girl.
Nguyen’s pencils in black, white, and grey are gorgeous. There’s really no other thing to say about it. The way he can wring so much atmosphere and emotion out of every scene is breathtaking. It’s gotten to the point where seeing his art in color again will be a disappointment. So much of this book works even better because of the lack of color.
Little Monsters #7 is easily the best issue so far. Lemire creates a wonderful little dichotomy with the flashbacks and reveals some major league lore. Nguyen’s art is amazing and makes this book that much better. It’s been a bit, but Little Monsters return is welcome.
