This is quite possibly the best volume yet. I wasn't exactly looking forward to this arc being drawn, since I didn't care for it all that much during the podcast (though it wasn't necessarily one I disliked, I just wasn't interested in it), but goodness Carey Pietsch has outdone herself, and whatever writing has gone into making this workable as a graphic novel has simply shone in this volume. The art is gorgeous, the pacing is wonderful. It's funny, it's heart-breaking, it's teasing in terms of future plotlines. The character relationships are developing wonderfully. This is truly a phenomenal addition to the series. I just love all the character designs and how they're realized. I am biased, of course, but Taako and Kravitz in particular look even more beautiful than ever.

Perhaps my favorite part was when Taako says, "I treated Philippe like shit, but I didn't poison anybody. If you wanted me to blame myself for their deaths, you shoulda gotten to me before my therapist." Just absolutely phenomenal. All the Taako stuff this volume was brilliantly done, and goodness his hair and outfits are so beautiful.

My only real criticism is the occasional Christian references and finding Merle's Evangelical aspects more annoying. I guess it's funnier to hear Clint saying lines than it is to just see a person being a door to door missionary. I also don't think the LinkedIn reference has aged well, but there's a lot of pop culture references, so, such is life.

Overall, though, this was a wonderful volume. I'm looking forward to The Suffering Game! ( )