'Sons of Anarchy' #16 Review: Theo Rossi's 'Juice' Ortiz Returns From Dead For "Hard-Hitting" Tale!

Just because the series finale of Sons of Anarchy aired on FX, that doesn't mean BOOM! Studios is done with the motorcycle club too. Back from the dead, Juice Ortiz (Theo Rossi) has one more ride to take care of in writer Ed Brisson and artist Matías Bergara's hard-hitting Sons of Anarchy #16. 

During the recent New York Comic Con, MStars News had the pleasure of speaking with the Sheltered scribe about the SOA comic book series. After issue #13,  certain members of SAMCRO were going to got their own solo, standalone installments.

Brisson revealed to MStars, "So I got to do that a bit, and then doing a solo story with Juice [Rossi], one with Bobby [Mark Boone Junior], and one with Happy [David Labrava]. I like the idea of having these guys off by their own and to deal with the same sort of sh*t they're dealing with the crew, but seeing how they deal with it on their own. So that's the goal for the next arc anyway."

The thirteenth installment features Juice out on his own, without any help from the rest of motorcycle club. Taking place before the final seventh season, it's quite refreshing to see how Brisson can come up with original tale featuring the fan-favorite character. Because viewers know how Juice will meet his end, the installment feels like a must-read prequel. 

In the narrative, Brisson brings out the necessary qualities of the tragic anti-hero. Doing what he thinks are for the right reasons, Juice attempts to help out a friend being blackmailed. If a certain sex tape got leaked, the town of small Charming will turn against him. Caught in a situation over his head, Juice will discover everyone gets a chance for a fresh start, but some don't actually deserve it.  

The issue takes readers on the fast lane when Juice ends up in a bar brawl. In the drawings, Bergara puts the action into high hear as Juice steers his motorcycle into a high speed chase. The pacing of the panel, as the camera switches from wide shots to extreme close-ups, resembles the action sequences you would have seen on the show. 

The combination of Ed Brisson's storytelling and Matías Bergara's kinetic artwork make Sons of Anarchy #16 a fun and worthwhile read. If you miss the TV show after the series finale, this will certainly fill in the void. 

RATING: BUY IT