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Coda #4
Coda, Volume 4: False Dawns
In the long-awaited return to the Eisner Award-nominated apocalyptic fantasy world of Coda, the disheartened bard Hum finds a slice of tranquility with his wife, Serka, in an ever-darkening, magic-less apocalypse – or so it seems.
Prophecies of paradise and the return of magic? Hum is skeptical, while Serka faces her own difficult moral decisions on the road, with winter quickly approaching…
For every hero’s weakness, there’s a companion with an equal degree of strength, and that’s exactly how Hum and company will get through the fateful, magical mayhem. But there are some unexpectedly unthinkable things that only Hum is capable of…
New and returning fans alike shouldn’t miss this collection of the return of Coda from GLAAD Media Award-winning writer Simon Spurrier (Damn Them All, The Flash) and EW’s 2019 Artist of the Year Matías Bergara (Step By Bloody Step)!
Collects Coda (2023) #1-5.
Prophecies of paradise and the return of magic? Hum is skeptical, while Serka faces her own difficult moral decisions on the road, with winter quickly approaching…
For every hero’s weakness, there’s a companion with an equal degree of strength, and that’s exactly how Hum and company will get through the fateful, magical mayhem. But there are some unexpectedly unthinkable things that only Hum is capable of…
New and returning fans alike shouldn’t miss this collection of the return of Coda from GLAAD Media Award-winning writer Simon Spurrier (Damn Them All, The Flash) and EW’s 2019 Artist of the Year Matías Bergara (Step By Bloody Step)!
Collects Coda (2023) #1-5.
144 pages, Paperback
First published June 18, 2024
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65 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
August 18, 2024
2.5 Stars
Dang, I loved the original Coda series. I just couldn't connect with the story arc almost like panel to panel flowed so poorly. I found this very confusing to follow along, and the world is already so crazy and the art is wild as all hell Si Spurrier definitely needed to throw the reader a bone or two. I kind of skimmed the last issue, but it was evident I was lost at that point.
Matias Bergara's art is unreal though and love the colouring and creative designs throughout, but like I said the panel to panel doesn't connect well at all. So kudos to the creativity, but this was a chore to read.
Dang, I loved the original Coda series. I just couldn't connect with the story arc almost like panel to panel flowed so poorly. I found this very confusing to follow along, and the world is already so crazy and the art is wild as all hell Si Spurrier definitely needed to throw the reader a bone or two. I kind of skimmed the last issue, but it was evident I was lost at that point.
Matias Bergara's art is unreal though and love the colouring and creative designs throughout, but like I said the panel to panel doesn't connect well at all. So kudos to the creativity, but this was a chore to read.
August 6, 2025
I love when something delivers what it promises and the Coda series consistently does that. This volume tells an intimate family story within a dystopian fantasy world with the same eye watering maximalist art.
March 25, 2025
I'm not sure the main "plot" works, but then that's sort of the point; this is about two people trying very hard indeed to avoid the plot because this fantasy world has ended and there will be no more heroes or quests or any of that bumf thank you very much. Even so, it feels a little bit undercooked and then reckless to draw attention to it.
BUT, this is really about Hum and Serka, wonderful characters and a wonderful couple, going through something difficult and sad and not at all Epic Quest™ related, and on that level it works almost heartbreakingly well.
Matías Bergara's art is, of course, spectacular. He draws a fantasy world that is strange and wild but at the same time tired and broken, and any time anything D&Dish intrudes it feels invasive and wrong, as it should.
BUT, this is really about Hum and Serka, wonderful characters and a wonderful couple, going through something difficult and sad and not at all Epic Quest™ related, and on that level it works almost heartbreakingly well.
Matías Bergara's art is, of course, spectacular. He draws a fantasy world that is strange and wild but at the same time tired and broken, and any time anything D&Dish intrudes it feels invasive and wrong, as it should.
August 7, 2024
Art is as incredible as volume 1.
At first I wasn’t sure about the story but I really loved the final issue. So it really came together. I went from wondering if returning to this fascinating world was a mistake to hoping they tell more 4-6 issue stories.
Hope, faith, guns, relationships, miscarriages, religion, cult of personalities… it’s all in there.
At first I wasn’t sure about the story but I really loved the final issue. So it really came together. I went from wondering if returning to this fascinating world was a mistake to hoping they tell more 4-6 issue stories.
Hope, faith, guns, relationships, miscarriages, religion, cult of personalities… it’s all in there.
August 24, 2024
I read the comic issues #1-5, and I really like the new story, although I am hoping they continue and make like another 5 issues or even just an OVA issue.
I love this comics' art and story that it is telling in its newest volume, and I think it ended on a good note.
I love the big beefy, kindhearted wife x jaded spindly husband duo. Although it is interesting to read the interal monologue and how they show running dialogue throughout the comic.
I love this comics' art and story that it is telling in its newest volume, and I think it ended on a good note.
I love the big beefy, kindhearted wife x jaded spindly husband duo. Although it is interesting to read the interal monologue and how they show running dialogue throughout the comic.
August 3, 2024
A bookend to the original series (which already served as a bookend to the world it's set in, hence the title). Spurrier and Bergara revisit their world and characters, giving them one final "quest".
A prophecy is being heralded all over the quenched land, of the coming of an heir meant to save the world and bring back magic. At the same time, a small faction makes a huge technological advancement, that renders magic pitiful as a weapon. You can probably see where this goes...
In the middle of this, our protagonists Hum and Sera, who had settled on a farm and were trying to build a family, find themselves dragged into each side's story.
I think ultimately, this post scriptum is supposed about making it work despite having very different ideals. It's also about the very real struggle of bringing new life into a world in shambles.
But honestly, Coda's moral backbone has always felt a little tacked on to me. I think it's supposed to feel the other way around, like the story is there to carry the message, but the message feels more like an excuse to write out the wild stories. And the stories are fun, and gorgeously illustrated, so who cares at the end of the day
A prophecy is being heralded all over the quenched land, of the coming of an heir meant to save the world and bring back magic. At the same time, a small faction makes a huge technological advancement, that renders magic pitiful as a weapon. You can probably see where this goes...
In the middle of this, our protagonists Hum and Sera, who had settled on a farm and were trying to build a family, find themselves dragged into each side's story.
I think ultimately, this post scriptum is supposed about making it work despite having very different ideals. It's also about the very real struggle of bringing new life into a world in shambles.
But honestly, Coda's moral backbone has always felt a little tacked on to me. I think it's supposed to feel the other way around, like the story is there to carry the message, but the message feels more like an excuse to write out the wild stories. And the stories are fun, and gorgeously illustrated, so who cares at the end of the day
September 3, 2024
I slightly put off starting this because I loved the original Coda miniseries so much and worried this wouldn’t live up to it; I’m glad to say it’s great, and recency bias has me wondering if it’s maybe even better.
I wasn’t sure how Spurrier would revisit this odd fantasy world after the fitting climax he previously concluded with, but just like real life, this world hasn’t stopped just because it reached a narratively satisfying ending. The aftermath of what came before has left new existential problems to solve and hard work to do along the way, and it’s those issues that loom large for Spurrier’s central couple this time. Why should they bother trying to fix anything when it’s easier to check out and let others do what they’re probably gonna do anyway?
Spurrier uses that setup to tell a relatable story about finding meaning in a world experiencing multiple ongoing catastrophes that feel overwhelming, populated by false prophets seeking to control people for their own purposes and scared people willing to rationalize fascist tendencies if it provides them a greater sense of security. That might sound heavy, but Spurrier avoids that feeling with his usual irreverent playfulness grounded in imaginative fantasy world-building. There’s a ton of neat character moments along the way that I won’t spoil, but I loved where Spurrier ends up: the important thing isn’t about any single fix, but in finding your own way to remain invested in the future and caring about its outcome while you’re here. Otherwise, you mine as well be gone already.
Bergara, meanwhile, continues to be one of my favorite comic artists around. His style is so distinct and imaginative and weird, but most of all it’s just a blast to look at. There’s a few artists who seem to bring Spurrier’s writing to life especially well, but Bergara is by far my favorite, and I can’t wait for them to work together again soon.
“I have briefly departed from my rustic routine on an errand regarding an item of missing property. That’s all. This is not a saga. This is not a quest.”
“That’s what all this is about, in a way. Regular people having their heads turned by the whiff of an easier ride.”
“Bit of advice that’ll serve you well wherever you go in life: if you ever encounter a group which refers to its unpaid thugs as ‘paladins’? Run.”
“The future glows…right up until it becomes the present and the sheen steams off it like spit in the sun. But the ideas that lit it up? They’re still in there. And gods, they’ll fight you. Because when you’ve poured so much time and hope into a brave new world, making that decision to just…turn your back on it? That’s like admitting you’ve wasted your life. Better—isn’t it? Easier—to just keep going?”
“…parasitic ideas have no power, no dangerous hooks to flip your common sense, no artful seductions, if you can simply persuade yourself to feel one thing. Complete. Even if it’s an effort to believe.”
“Hmf. The most dangerous creature I’ve encountered in all my many travels. A dewy-eyed hero.”
“You’re adorable when your heart’s fighting your head.”
“It’s frightening how…right…it feels. No magic. No skill. You look down the barrel and all you see is problems…and easy solutions.”
“He’ll tell himself he’s being a hero, but it’s just—it’s toxic simplicity! Dividing the world into people to save and people to kill”
“Everything’s going to be okay. Everything’s going to sort itself out. Stories tend to do that, you know. The ones we keep, anyway. The ones we retell. They have a miraculous tendency to provide their own endings. Of course, it helps that the story doesn’t have to be the same as the truth. Funny how pissy people get, when a bard points that out. It’s literally how we live. All of us. All the time. The trick, little gap, is to choose when the truth’s what matters most—and when the story.”
“The best you can do, if you’re determined to bash a belief, is stain it. Soil it. Smear it with caution or guilt or shame. No trick’s too dirty when you’re up against an idea. Make someone betray their own faith, they’ll spend the rest of their lives regretting it. Believing even harder. Trying to find the courage that failed them.”
I wasn’t sure how Spurrier would revisit this odd fantasy world after the fitting climax he previously concluded with, but just like real life, this world hasn’t stopped just because it reached a narratively satisfying ending. The aftermath of what came before has left new existential problems to solve and hard work to do along the way, and it’s those issues that loom large for Spurrier’s central couple this time. Why should they bother trying to fix anything when it’s easier to check out and let others do what they’re probably gonna do anyway?
Spurrier uses that setup to tell a relatable story about finding meaning in a world experiencing multiple ongoing catastrophes that feel overwhelming, populated by false prophets seeking to control people for their own purposes and scared people willing to rationalize fascist tendencies if it provides them a greater sense of security. That might sound heavy, but Spurrier avoids that feeling with his usual irreverent playfulness grounded in imaginative fantasy world-building. There’s a ton of neat character moments along the way that I won’t spoil, but I loved where Spurrier ends up: the important thing isn’t about any single fix, but in finding your own way to remain invested in the future and caring about its outcome while you’re here. Otherwise, you mine as well be gone already.
Bergara, meanwhile, continues to be one of my favorite comic artists around. His style is so distinct and imaginative and weird, but most of all it’s just a blast to look at. There’s a few artists who seem to bring Spurrier’s writing to life especially well, but Bergara is by far my favorite, and I can’t wait for them to work together again soon.
“I have briefly departed from my rustic routine on an errand regarding an item of missing property. That’s all. This is not a saga. This is not a quest.”
“That’s what all this is about, in a way. Regular people having their heads turned by the whiff of an easier ride.”
“Bit of advice that’ll serve you well wherever you go in life: if you ever encounter a group which refers to its unpaid thugs as ‘paladins’? Run.”
“The future glows…right up until it becomes the present and the sheen steams off it like spit in the sun. But the ideas that lit it up? They’re still in there. And gods, they’ll fight you. Because when you’ve poured so much time and hope into a brave new world, making that decision to just…turn your back on it? That’s like admitting you’ve wasted your life. Better—isn’t it? Easier—to just keep going?”
“…parasitic ideas have no power, no dangerous hooks to flip your common sense, no artful seductions, if you can simply persuade yourself to feel one thing. Complete. Even if it’s an effort to believe.”
“Hmf. The most dangerous creature I’ve encountered in all my many travels. A dewy-eyed hero.”
“You’re adorable when your heart’s fighting your head.”
“It’s frightening how…right…it feels. No magic. No skill. You look down the barrel and all you see is problems…and easy solutions.”
“He’ll tell himself he’s being a hero, but it’s just—it’s toxic simplicity! Dividing the world into people to save and people to kill”
“Everything’s going to be okay. Everything’s going to sort itself out. Stories tend to do that, you know. The ones we keep, anyway. The ones we retell. They have a miraculous tendency to provide their own endings. Of course, it helps that the story doesn’t have to be the same as the truth. Funny how pissy people get, when a bard points that out. It’s literally how we live. All of us. All the time. The trick, little gap, is to choose when the truth’s what matters most—and when the story.”
“The best you can do, if you’re determined to bash a belief, is stain it. Soil it. Smear it with caution or guilt or shame. No trick’s too dirty when you’re up against an idea. Make someone betray their own faith, they’ll spend the rest of their lives regretting it. Believing even harder. Trying to find the courage that failed them.”
June 14, 2024
The idea of revisiting Coda, given the title and the subject matter, amused me. It's a coda to Coda. But of course, I doubted Si Spurrier and Mattias Bergara would return to the world they'd created if they didn't have something else to say.
The big difference in this story is that Hum and Serka are together for most of it, instead of spending 12 issues looking for each other like the previous series. And yet despite that, they seem to be even further apart than ever. There's a story here about religion and faith and belief, but it's also just a very human story about two people (one of whom is not human) who can't quite communicate what they want from one another.
I was right - Spurrier and Bergara had more to say, and it's well worth listening to. Now, will we get a coda to Coda's coda?
The big difference in this story is that Hum and Serka are together for most of it, instead of spending 12 issues looking for each other like the previous series. And yet despite that, they seem to be even further apart than ever. There's a story here about religion and faith and belief, but it's also just a very human story about two people (one of whom is not human) who can't quite communicate what they want from one another.
I was right - Spurrier and Bergara had more to say, and it's well worth listening to. Now, will we get a coda to Coda's coda?
December 1, 2024
A coda to Coda - how perfect. And the book is basically perfect: a tidy, one-volume tale that nonetheless expands the world and reveals new facets of our favorite characters. Hum and Serka saved the world, but are still struggling to come together (). Separately, they encounter religious zealots who have big, weird goals. Separately, they shrug these weirdos off. But as the zealots line up for battle, Hum and Serka discover that they have yet another part to play in saving the world.
There's a lot of smart, deep stuff in False Dawns - Simon Spurrier has a great deal to say about violence and religion. Fortunately, it all plays out in an engaging narrative that never strays far from our main characters. If there's another coda to Coda in Spurrier, I'd gladly read it.
There's a lot of smart, deep stuff in False Dawns - Simon Spurrier has a great deal to say about violence and religion. Fortunately, it all plays out in an engaging narrative that never strays far from our main characters. If there's another coda to Coda in Spurrier, I'd gladly read it.
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October 14, 2024A coda to Coda. Sadly it doesn’t add much to the original series. Hum and Serka try to stop two fanatical factions from going to war all the while trying to carve out a happy life for themselves. They’re together but also apart, struggling to communicate what they want from each other. The theme of storytelling, specifically the stories we tell ourselves, takes precedence. Nothing we haven’t seen before. Some panel-to-panel sequences are confusing, too. I like Hum and Serka, and there are some nicely human moments across these five issues. I just don’t feel like this coda does anything to improve the first series.
September 24, 2024
This was a s good as i thought it would be. There were some really good arguments and debates taking place in this story and like any goood debate both sides hold truth.
I couldn't quite pick up the connection to the other 3 volumes. (To be fair i read them years ago and i read a lot of comics) However i don't think it matters, this volume stood on its own just fine.
I couldn't quite pick up the connection to the other 3 volumes. (To be fair i read them years ago and i read a lot of comics) However i don't think it matters, this volume stood on its own just fine.
June 17, 2024
even post apocalyptic fantasy have morals
both hum and sekra deal with trying to complete their selves while a vague prophecy captures the masses.
its a good sequel to the first volume.
both hum and sekra deal with trying to complete their selves while a vague prophecy captures the masses.
its a good sequel to the first volume.
December 21, 2023
Read 3 of these but can’t find them all on here yet.
August 11, 2024
Spurrier and Bergara missed a real opportunity by not calling this A Coda for Coda. This is OK. It's long winded like most Spurrier stuff is. Our husband and wife team try to talk two groups that are the complete opposite of what they say they stand for are on a collision course for disaster with one another.
September 22, 2024
Que sigan saliendo más historias de esta pareja, por favor
October 10, 2024
So much fun to return to this lush world!! I still loooooooove Matias Bergara's art style and coloring, but I think the storyline in the OG series remains my favorite.
October 15, 2024
Good artwork. Interesting philosophy about changing people's minds and society falling apart. Some hope in the end.
January 3, 2025
A lukewarm sequel.
February 11, 2025
I fucking can’t with this art style I’m obsessed with it. The story is on point and it’s love love love
May 10, 2025
3.5⭐ It's not bad, but I liked this significantly less than the main series. I feel like the message outweighed the story in this one.
May 25, 2025
This volume was clear in plot and heartfelt.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews