The Unwritten #27

Written by Mike Carey
Art by Peter Gross with Vince Locke

A new arc of The Unwritten, On To Genesis, starts with this issue, and the book starts to explore some new themes.  Tom has been going through his father's journals, which suggest that he was working for Pullmann, the Cabal's chief assassin, back in New York in the 1930s, which doesn't make sense to any of Tom's group.  The journals frequently make mention of an early comic book hero, The Tinker, who predates Superman and who has more than a few similarities to Tommy Taylor, the Harry Potter like fictional character around whom this series is built.

Tom's investigation leads him to the realization that he can conjure images from the past as he reads their description aloud, and we see young Wilson Taylor as he argues with Pullmann that comics are the future of literature, and for the importance of junk culture.  Personally, I don't want to see this series become too concerned with the Golden Age.  I liked that The Unwritten was so aware of literary history, and I feel that enough comics have explored their comic book roots.

Vince Locke has returned to provide finishes for Peter Gross's scenes that take place in the 30s.  I like when he works on the book, as it helps to differentiate flashbacks from the present, while still keeping a consistent look for the comic.  Plus, the man is a great inker.