• Written by: Jonathan Hickman
• Art by: Valerio Schiti
• Colors by: Marte Gracia
• Letters by: VC’s Travis Lanham
• Cover art by: Mateus Manhanini
• Cover price: $4.99
• Release date: March 27, 2024

G.O.D.S. #6 finds Aiko unable to live with the consequences of robbing Mia of her destiny as a magical wielder, so she sets out to make things right.

---

Is G.O.D.S. #6 Good?

After the gut punch ending for Mia in issue #5, Jonathan Hickman sets Aiko out on a quest to redeem the serious wrong she committed against Mia in G.O.D.S. #6. Let’s just say Aiko pays a serious price to make things right.

Previously, Mia joined Wyn to save Dimitri from a magical clinic that served as a front for a coven of witches. Mia, still learning about her magical abilities, succeeded in her fledgling outing, but her victory turned to shock when Wyn broke the bad news that becoming an apprentice to Aiko and the Natural Order Of Things permanently stunted her magical abilities to never grow beyond basic trickery. Her future potential was destroyed.

Now, Aiko can’t bear the guilt of what she knowingly did to Mia, so she seeks out an audience with the Living Tribunal, who has the power to restore Mia’s magical potential. To get that audience, Aiko makes a series of quid pro quo bargains with an assortment of magical beings to guide the way. Ultimately, the Living Tribunal refuses the request, but Oblivion picks up what the Living Tribunal puts down in exchange for Mia’s eternal servitude.

Aiko eventfully makes her way back to Mia and Wyn, losing her eyes in the process.

What’s great about G.O.D.S. #6? If there’s one area Hickman excels more than any other, it’s in his world- and character-building. This issue is no exception. The eclectic collection of magical beings Aiko encounters on her journey is practically enthralling. The planes of existence Aiko traverses are mesmerizing, and the final judgment feels epic in scale and consequences.

What’s not so great about G.O.D.S #6? If there’s one area Hickman continually stumbles, it’s grabbing the reader with a purposeful plot. We know, for example, that G.O.D.S. ends with issue #8, and so far, all Hickman has done is establish the players, their world, and the hint of a conflict involving the In-Betweener. That leaves precious little time to get into the meat of a central journey, so whatever the In-Betweener has in mind either won’t get addressed at all or will get addressed with a rushed, throwaway plot. Either way, the future is concerning.

How’s the Art? Valerio Schiti brings home the bacon with curious (in a good way) magical character designs, exquisite character acting, gob-smacking scenery, and outstanding colors by Marte Gracia.

About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.

Follow @ComicalOpinions on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter

Bits and Pieces

G.O.D.S. #6 forces Aiko to deal with the consequences of her destructive action toward Mia with a whimsical-yet-edgy journey to meet with the most powerful forces of magic in Marvel. The technical execution is on-point, and the art looks fantastic, but Hickman’s over-attention to world-building and character moments leaves little time to build out an actual story with only two issues left to go.

8.2/10