By Jarred A. Luján — I have no idea how I started reading Crowded. Seriously. I think Matthew Rosenberg may have recommended it on Twitter, and I picked it up from there? Regardless, I’ve been around since the book launched. It’s a brilliantly unique book with one of the sharpest character dynamics in comics. Now, we get to look at #12, which in a year-plus is the first time I’ve reviewed the book for some reason! 

At this point, our two heroes Charlie and Vita are locked up together in a missile silo with a bunch of cultists that want to murder them (only in comics could you type that sentence, bless.) I don’t want to give any spoilers away, but one of the best parts of this book has been how completely unexpected each move is. The escape is wild and fun in the way that you’ve come to expect from Crowded. The book’s humor has always been one of it’s strongest elements and as it goes on and on, it only gets sharper. 

Charlie and Vita have been through the ringer. Their relationship has been all over the place, coming quite a long way since #1. What I really like about the two of them together is that the development never feels forced or flat. Every inch of movement in their dynamic has felt earned, has felt organic. There’s been a ton of bumps in that process, and I think that makes what happens in this issue feel so sudden — yet, so reasonable. The way that the story is crafted for the audience to root for them, yet to understand the complexities that are forced to come with it, makes it so real. This issue is really filled with character-driven payoffs. If you’re a longtime fan of the book, this is a really solid issue for you. 

I’m so glad that I finally get to review this book because I also finally get to declare how great Ro Stein and Ted Brandt are on lines. An incredible duo on their own, the page layouts they choose to use are always great in the way they elevate the story. From the digital layout of a VR conversation to utilizing overlaps, the construction of the pages always helps in the dramatizing of the story. Furthermore, I’m not sure there is anyone in comics who does the perfect emotional expression on faces as well as these two. Charlie’s are always over the top, exaggerated, while Vita’s expressions are always more subtle, the expressions are so well suited to each character. Even when they are expressing the same emotion, Stein and Brandt make sure to fine tune it within the character’s personality. It’s truly great work. Most importantly, Vita’s arms. Every page featuring Vita’s uncovered arms belongs in a museum. 

Obviously, big shout out to Tríona Farrell who has colored the book since it kicked off. The color scheme of Crowded has largely been big and bright, and Farrell has been so consistently great to see from each page. I really love that Charlie and Vita have their own color scheme and the way the pinks/oranges get utilized on a panel to get those across. The ending sequence starring Vita and a phone drop is a dramatic moment, but it’s covered in pink because the drama stems from Charlie. I loved it. 

Lastly, Cardinal Rae on letters! In a book heavy in it’s digital age, I always feel like Rae makes that translate into digital sound FX super well. The translation is there, and it visually makes the sound make sense. I also think Rae is incredibly solid on leading the eye. There’s a lot of dialogue heavy pages in this issue, but the dialogue all comes across clean and you don’t get lost in the mix.

Overall: Crowded continues to be a fun buddy comedy anchored by two strong main characters. A lot of big changes are coming, and this issue does a solid job of closing out this arc and setting us up for the next one. 8.0/10

Crowded #12
Writer: Christopher Sebela
Artists: Ro Stein & Ted Brandt
Colorist: Triona Farrell
Letterer: Cardinal Rae
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $3.99
Solicit: END OF STORY ARC! Charlie and Vita are trapped in a decommissioned missile silo full of crazy cultists who want to murder them while hiding from a world full of regular people who want to murder them. If they manage to survive all that, they'll still have to face their biggest threat: each other.

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Jarred A. Luján makes comics, studies existential philosophy, and listens to hip-hop too loudly. For bad jokes and dog pictures, you can follow him on Twitter.