With the dénouement of Sweet Tooth’s first story arc, readers must have been equally as hurt as I by Jepperd’s betrayal of young Gus. Sure, Gus had dreamt that the man he traveled with was a danger, and Jepperd’s dark violent streak was shown often, but Gus nonetheless believed he was a good guy. Because of this, we believed he was a good guy. That just made last month’s issue all the more painful.

The character Jepperd is explored in this issue. Violence is not all there is to this man--deep sadness forever haunts him. There are quite a few panels only featuring him, emphasizing the fact that this is a man that has been isolated due to his unfortunate decisions. In the final pages we learn why he did what he did to poor Gus. And to be honest, I could forgive the guy.

Little more is learned about the strange half-animal half-human creatures that occupy the world of Sweet Tooth. Gus seems to be a special case being the closest in appearance to humans, while the other children are more animal than man both in physicality and mentality. These panels hold an air of dread and are appropriately creepy thanks to the squalid living space.

Jeff Lemire’s artwork is simply magnificent. His portrayal of characters eyes is nothing short of perfection. The dialogue may be sparse, but he uses the eyes to speak volumes, from Jepperd’s hard squint reminiscent of Clint Eastwood to Gus’ wide-eyed innocence and fear. He also seamlessly shifts between past and present to tell a story that flows like fine wine. The past is rendered as world starting to crumble at the edges, yet still functions, there are still sunny days. The present offers an almost endless grey with harsh rain, deserted roads, and dead trees. Yet, on the final page, one that shows crushing grief, I couldn’t help but smile at the sly hint of hope on the horizon no matter how tiny.

There are quite a bit of post-apocalyptic comics being published right now, but Sweet Tooth is currently the best. It's writing and art strike an emotional cord deeper than the rest, from the singular vision of Jeff Lemire. I say, buy it.

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