Revival #15

written by Tim Seeley
art by Mike Norton

Martha Cypress' death has been a shadow over Revival since she took a scythe through the chest in the first issue.  It has almost entirely remained unspoken of in the aftermath.  She revisits the river where she awoke from death, staring at the water from the bridge or swimming in its icy waters, but little is spoken of what happened before and she herself cannot remember anything from the day or so prior to Revival Day.  In Revival #15, however, we discover that Dana has been diligently working to piece Em's life together, a murder-board in her basement that's overflowed onto the surrounding walls, cabinets, and floor.  But, it turns out Revival Day was a perfect day to commit a murder, which would inevitably get lost by law enforcement in the confusion and panic that accompanied the supernatural event.

But Dana has one lead: Professor Aaron Weimar, Em's academic advisor and lover, whom she called repeatedly in the weeks leading up to her death.  And, because he is the only other person who knows about Em's condition, Dana enlists the help of her ex, her son's father, Derrick to investigate Weimar.  Despite their tumultuous history, his bossy stripper girlfriend Nikki, the trauma of the recent Check brothers' deaths, and the general spit and gravel these two have accumulated over the years, it's perfectly apparent why they were once together.

The animosity and frustration that the Revival Day quarantine has elicited from the rural Wisconsin community looks finally to be coming to a head.  After having their livestock seized by government officials fearful of the contaminated water supply and its possible role in the Revival incident and feeling ignored and dismissed by local authorities including Mayor Dillisch, local farmers find themselves an audience to local racist, right-wing radical Edmond Holt with his hints of local militia and anti-government insurgency.  One need only investigate Norton's final illustration to find the unspoken reaction as mixed as eager to embarrassed.  It doesn't help that some of the more unstable Revivers—including young Jordan Borchardt, who cut off her own eyelids—are now being held by the C.D.C. in a remote facility.  Rural Wisconsin is quickly turning into a powder-keg.

[November 2013]