Quinlan lying in a hospital bed, but she’s not in a hospital. She’s in a U-Stor-It storage facility. Her arm has been covered in nanites to prevent infection. There’s a concerned figure sitting over her. She’s burning-up. If he doesn’t do something, she might not make it. It’s a crucial moment that opens Rat City #7. Writer Erica Schultz continues her cyberpunk horror serial with artist Ze Carlos. Color comes to the page courtesy of Jay David Ramos. I it isn’t just Quinlan who is heating-up as Schultz moves towards a resolution of the central conflict in another enjoyable issue. 

He’s going to use a shot to the chest. Might not necessarily be an adrenaline shot to the heart, but it has the same effect. Quinlan may be awake and alive, but she’s still suffering from visions of both Helen, heaven and hell, witch threaten her sanity. There are greater forces at work, which threaten to cause her and the rest of the world great harm. Quinlan has been infected by Peter’s nanites. She’s got a long way to go before she can completely recover. Time may be running out for her. 

Schultz is working with various cyberpunk tropes, and if using them with a traditional whore iconography. She’s doing so in a way that is interesting enough to form a fusion between traditional science fiction, and the realm ofSpawn Universe and given the right momentum. It could really turn into something. As it is, the seventh issue in the series feels bogged down with a lot of exposition and drama that isn’t necessarily brought to the page and a terribly engaging way. However, what is being brought to the page is interesting. And the central ensemble seems interesting enough that it should carry the story four quite some time.

Carlos and Ramos give the story a sharp sense of definition. There isn’t too much detail to drag down the drama. It’s all clearly there. Ramos’ color brings a warmth to the page with that adds quite a bit of atmosphere to the visuals. The tension of the story is etched into the page. Every now and again, there’s a real shock.Quinlan’s sudden awakening asserts itself dramatically with a full-page splash but feels suitably dramatic. The nightmare, visions don’t necessarily feel as strong as they could, but there’s quite a lot else here that feels particularly powerful on the page.

Though the issue might not necessarily feel particularly strong in, and of itself, there is quite a lot that is to be respected about this next chapter in a potentially integral part of the Spawn Universe that could potentially pull it over into a new direction with a whole new genre. Schultz is clearly working towards a very interesting vision in what could happen given the right direction. The first seven issues don’t necessarily feel like they’re making it the right stride, though. And it could take a while before everything is fine present in a way that would feel totally satisfying.

Grade B