The Wicked + the Divine #12 is certainly less emotionally fraught than is immediate predecessors. Scenes like Baal's interview and a rather one-sided fight later in the book flow naturally from the emotional punch of previous issues. Gillen gives us space to process recent staggering turns while clearly building to yet more surprising revelations. His skill with managing narrative arcs makes The Wicked + the Divine a consistently compelling tale rather than one so jam-packed with emotional blows that it gets too exhausting to follow. For regular readers, #12 will almost be a relief in the wake of last month's deaths. (Though if you're anything like me, Baal might still make you cry.) Read Full Review

The art style in this issue was a dramatic departure from past issues because of Kate Brown's guest work. It's got much of an anime sensibility to it, which I normally don't enjoy, but it works here. It works in part because it sets this issue apart from what came before, and given all of the dramatic changes in the narrative setting out with a fresh tone is not a bad thing. The new direction and characters are good, even if we're just postponing the question of Laura's fate. Read Full Review

It's undeniably jarring to have someone other than Jamie McKelvie at the helm, but Brown's intimate, muted quality fits well with the issue's somber atmosphere. Read Full Review

Add in a one-pager drawn by McKelvie at the end of the issue, and it's the proverbial cherry on top of the sundae. "The Wicked + The Divine" #12 is tantalizing, in that it moves the storyline forward but also deliberately doesn't give us all of the answers we desire. It's a good start to "Commercial Suicide" and I think any fears that readers might have had about McKelvie taking six issues off to draw the next "Phonogram" miniseries should be assuaged now; he'll be missed, but the art is in good hands during his absence, if Brown is any indication of what's still to come. Once again, "The Wicked + The Divine" is divinely fun, but wicked in making us wait another month to find out what happens next. Read Full Review

A bold step, for sure, but not necessarily a better one. Read Full Review

While I was initially unhappy about the new direction of the book, and I'm still not sure if I'm massively keen on where its going, compared to where it began I can safely say that I'm now confident that it's going to be an interesting read regardless. Read Full Review

After dropping a bombshell at the end of the last issue this one picks up at a logical, if somewhat unexpected, place. Despite this I can't help but feel that with this issue Gillen is pumping the breaks on the narrative. And let's be frank Brown's art it certainly serviceable, but pales in comparison to Jamie McKelvie's. I don't know what the reasoning is behind this change, but it's both sudden and unwelcome.