Fishflies #7 Review: A Bittersweet End
Step into the emotional final issue of Fishflies, the latest graphic novel series created by Jeff Lemire for Image Comics.
Fishflies #7
Review
Writer: Jeff Lemire
Artist: Jeff Lemire
Publisher: Image Comics
Release Date: July 17, 2024
Page Count: 60
Format: Single-issue
Fishflies #7 delivers an emotional finale to one of Jeff Lemire’s most personal works yet. It brings the story full circle, putting a bow on a tragic tale centered on love, friendship, and forgiveness.
Fishflies #7
ReviewWriter: Jeff Lemire
Artist: Jeff Lemire
Publisher: Image Comics
Release Date: July 17, 2024
Page Count: 60
Format: Single-issue
Fishflies #7 delivers an emotional finale to one of Jeff Lemire’s most personal works yet. It brings the story full circle, putting a bow on a tragic tale centered on love, friendship, and forgiveness.
Jeff Lemire has always been a comic book creator who looks for unique ways to push the boundaries of the medium. Whether through his intriguing story concepts or imaginative art directions, there are distinct flairs to Lemire’s creator-owned work that have captivated readers for a long time. Fishflies, his latest graphic novel series, is no exception to that trend as it has woven an intricate and emotional tale about a girl with a monstrous friend living in a mysterious small town. But after so much of its strange story setup, how does the final chapter stack up to the rest? Keep on reading for my full review of Jeff Lemire’s Fishflies #7!
Overview
Franny dives deeper into the strange dimension Bug pulled them into. There, they see glimpses of the man Bug used to be, and the events that led to his monstrous condition. Meanwhile, Detective Laraque inches closer to the answers behind Franny’s mysterious disappearance. He never would have expected the mystery to connect back to where this story began.
Image: Image Comics
Review
In my previous reviews of Fishfles, I often mentioned how the series is “classic Jeff Lemire” with its concept of strange things happening in a small-town setting. The series has since only reaffirmed that sentiment as each issue added layer after layer to the peculiar stories of Franny, Bug, Detective Laraque, and the town of Belle River itself. This final issue culminates the story's themes of friendship, self-discovery, and forgiveness for a whimsical and melancholic ending. So if you’re a fan of many of Lemire’s other writer-artist works, Fishflies delivers plenty of what makes him such a celebrated cartoonist.
As you can expect from one of Lemire’s writer-artist graphic novels, the art in Fishflies #7 is phenomenal. With its minimal colors and carefully crafted imagery, the graphic novel is a beauty to read the more you look into its details. The last two issues especially showcased Lemire’s knack for changing things up visually to help tell a deeper story. While issue #6 featured co-artist Shawn Kuruneru for the flashback sequences, this final issue has Franny and Bug walking through a strange dimension that looks visually distinct from the rest of the series. Their scenes together are all colored and inked with an eerie green hue that gives an otherworldly feel compared to what we see in the story’s real world. It shows how even though the comic is very minimal in its presentation, the small details put into the coloring, facial expressions, and paneling speak volumes because of Lemire’s imaginative art direction.
Image: Image ComicsHowever, as much as I adore Jeff Lemire’s storytelling style, parts of Fishflies #7 do fall a bit flat as a finale to such an emotional journey. My main gripe is that the story’s climactic moment takes agency away from some main characters. In the end, Franny and Bug’s story takes most of the spotlight, leaving Detective Laraque and Helen feeling like afterthoughts in the grand scheme of things. So, while the issue includes plenty of emotionally charged moments that bring parts of the story full circle, there is a missing feeling of finality to some of the story’s core plot threads. Even though the comic gives us so much already about these characters, I was still left wanting to know more.
Image: Image Comics
Final Thoughts
Fishflies #7 delivers an emotional end to one of Jeff Lemire’s most personal graphic novel series yet. Even though parts of the ending fall a little bit flat, it’s still undeniably a visual feast that tugs on your heartstrings. Fishflies as a series ultimately delivers plenty of hallmarks that make Jeff Lemire such a beloved comic book creator. From the incredible art and rich character explorations, there’s so much to love about this series if you’re a fan of Lemire’s work. It’s fantastic seeing that even after all these years, Lemire continues to explore new stories and ways to tell them through the pages of comic books.
Why You Should Read Fishflies
- It’s a classic Jeff Lemire story that blends the human condition with eerie visuals.
- The series makes for a beautiful collection of graphic novels.
- There’s a constant sense of wonder as the story’s mysteries unravel.