By Keigen Rea — After reading Die #12 for the second time, I opened ComiXology and downloaded the rest of the series to reread. Partly it was that I had completely lost the plot, between pandemic brain and not reading the second arc upon completion, and also the delays, when I should have done what I normally do and reread the arc in whole. That’s only partly the reason, though, and the other part is that every issue of Die is so good that I don’t want it to last one issue long, I want it to last as long as possible, and this issue is at least the twelfth time I’ve felt that. 

This issue picks us right where the last left us and doesn’t slow down. It’s an issue that clears the road ahead of us to some degree, and moves most of the cast to new locations, tied thematically by the protection of children. Someone gets frozen. Someone melts. We meet a guy on a bike. Rules are made clear. As a single issue, this is one of my favorites of the series, matching issues 5, 8, and 10, in moments both poignant and earth-shattering. The momentum is something I’m interested in, with it being only second issue in the arc, but I hope it maintains throughout. 

The issue’s art this month is tremendous, as always. I can’t imagine anyone not loving Stephanie Hans’ or Clayton Cowles’ work as they are, in my opinion, industry leaders in their respective fields. Early on in the issue, Hans delivers a facial expression that I think only McKelvie could match in it’s emotional delivery, with the caveat of there being an heads up display element in the art that I don’t think would be matched by any artist working today. Add to that a new god we’re introduced to in the issue, and you’ve got an issue full of highlights by Hans, and further proof that Gillen is the best parasite (his words) in comics. 

Cowles does equally fantastic work here, further proving himself as the best letter artist in comics today. You can point to different books to show why he’s at the top of the list, but this issue demonstrates how, in fundamental ways, he tells the reader what to look at and where to look next. In one instance, he curves the balloon behind a frozen character in a way that’s able to give context to the conversation, raise the stakes, and add creepy vibe. It’s brilliant work, by a brilliant creator. 

That’s what Die #12 is, and the series as a whole as well. I think the only reasonable complaint about the series is that you can lose the plot now that we’re almost two years into the series and it’s seemingly built to be reread, but to me, that’s a feature, not a bug. When I look at everything about the series all together, I think it’s the best ongoing comic currently running, and issue #12 exemplifies everything I love about the series. 

Overall: If you’re behind, catch up; if you aren’t reading, pick up the trades. This issue is a highlight in a week full of highlights, and it’s about as recommendable as any comic running 9.5/10

Die #12 - REVIEW

Die #12
Writer: Kieron Gillen
Artist: Stephanie Hans
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Publisher: Image
Price: $3.99
“THE GREAT GAME,” Part Two Designer Sid Meier described games as a series of interesting decisions. “May you live in interesting times” is a curse. Both things are true, and both are true here.
Release Date: July 22, 2020
Buy It Digitally: Die #12

Read more great comic book reviews!

Keigen Rea is working in a restaurant while waiting to see when school (both work and college) resume. You can find his tweets @prince_organa, where the absolute banger, ‘“This is how you lose the time war,” sang to the tune of, “this is why we can’t have nice things”’ is his pinned tweet.