From the first panel of the first page, throughout the entirety of the series, Hit Me never took its foot of the gas — not once. While the subject matter may have turned some people off, Hit Me tells a wild story with a more than satisfying ending — pun 100% intended. If for any reason you put this book down, you should pick it back up and give it its due. It’s worth it.
AWA/Upshot Studios
Written by: Christa Faust
Art by: Priscilla Petraites
Colors by: Marco Lesko
Letters by: AndWorld Design
While Hit Me has never lacked for action, Hit Me #5 ramps that aspect up to an 11 while maintaining its great storytelling. It’s very obvious Christa Faust was passionate about telling this story; her letter at the end of issue one and the ferocity of her writing throughout demonstrates that. I’ve read a lot of Faust’s other books, especially from AWA, and Hit Me easily goes to the top of the list.
There are times when full-length stories that are only five to six issues either feel rushed or leave you wanting more — not the case with Hit Me. This story’s pacing couldn’t be any more perfect, and the story’s conclusion feels both complete and extremely satisfying. However, the door does seem to be open for another arc should the creators want to do so in the future.
“From the first panel of the first page, throughout the entirety of the series, Hit Me never took its foot of the gas — not once.”
Enough cannot be said about the team of Priscilla Petraites and Marco Lesko. Just like in Chariot, their art not just stands out, but also pulls you in. The subject matter is not for the faint of heart, and while Faust’s storytelling is excellent, its Petraites’ art that delivers the visual unease and makes Hit Me such an enthralling story. Not to go unnoticed is Lesko’s color work. While his work in Chariot relied on lots of bright neon colors, the use of dark dingy colors perfectly encapsulated the seedy underbelly where this story resided.
Overall, Hit Me #5 does an excellent job wrapping up what has been a phenomenal series. Christa Faust does a tremendous job at both telling a thrilling story, creating yet another badass female character and making the reader feel uneasy. Once again, AWA/Upshot Studios delivers another book that you typically won’t find elsewhere. Hit Me is yet another example of why indie comics hit on another level.
If you want to learn more about AWA Studios, be sure to listen to TLDR‘s interview with AWA’s Chief Creative Officer, Axel Alonso — where he also talked about his time with Vertigo and Marvel Comics.
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