Sideways #10 Review

Storytellers: Kenneth Rocafort and Dan DiDio

Art by: Kenneth Rocafort, Daniel Brown, and Dave Sharpe
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: November 21, 2018

I had a strange reaction to this issue. I kind of enjoyed it.

This is surprising because I've actively disliked it for the past… perhaps three or four issues. The book fell apart when Derek's mom died but now he's back from his boring Dark Multiverse adventure, which baffles me with its existence. I can't believe that happened.

What I really appreciated about this issue was the focus on Derek's personal life, namely his relationship with his now-widowed father and his best friend Ernie. The team does something really interesting with Derek's father that I honestly can't say I've seen in a comic before. It was fascinating and depressing and the fact that this book is ending with #13 in February seems a bit premature now because I want this story to breathe a little more.

His relationship with Ernie is a different story, mostly since she knows everything about where Derek's been and who he's been hanging out with. Their feelings for one another finally crop up in this issue and that's the kind of stuff I read comic books for. Genuine, human emotion told well.

It feels like Kenneth Rocafort hasn't drawn this book in ages. He's really the only person qualified to draw Sideways; he gives him a momentum and sleekness that no other artist has managed to infuse, and that's understandable. He created the character. Solely, on his own. That's what the credits of this issue state so I'm going with it.

Bits and Pieces:

I didn't talk about the ending to this issue but I'm genuinely excited to read the next issue. The art was stupendous and the story had me missing this book when it just focused on Derek and his friends and family. Shame it'll be ending soon.

7/10