Make a Hole
*phew!*
The Sixth part of The Kryptonion ties up things fairly nicely for our wonders of Earth 2, Val Zod and Superman throwing hands and insults, Alan Scott performing a feat of feats, and the World Army fighting the forces of Apokolips in a winner-take-all throwdown.
But was it any good?
Yes. Yes it was.
Due to the release schedule of the book, pacing is key, with readers having to wait 4 weeks (and in some cases longer) to get a taste of Earth 2 action, and to be frank it could've been done a little better. Issue after issue of evil Superman rubbing his dong all over Earth's face got fairly tiresome, with the book taking on a "I wonder who's s*** Superman will be wrecking this month?" type of feel. This issue finally delivers the payoff we've been waiting for, with the Wonders stepping up and putting the Earth on their back (in Alan Scott's case, almost literally).
We get snippets of action, but there aren't too many stand out moments, save one hefty Superman punch that sent the people in the immediate vicinity flying. Instead everything happens for a reason, with spectacle making way for plot progression. The Flash is hot footing it? There's a reason why. Red Tornado is blowing folk away? There's a BIG reason why. There is a meaning to the motion and madness that seemed to be lacking in previous issues and there's a sense of "Yeah. Now we're getting somewhere". The pointless carnage is done away with and there are some decent character interactions that seemed to be lacking in the past; possibly smothered by all the forced mystery and action.
I won't disclose too much of what happens as there's a fairly big twist at the climax of the battle, and by the end of the issue it's made clear that Earth 2's struggles aren't over by a long shot, however this is a very satisfying conclusion to the arc that serves to set up the next big event in a major way.
There are a number of questions we're left asking, and the future is wide open for our Wonders. I have no doubt that it'll be interesting to say the least, but for now, Issue #26 is exactly what this series needed, and I'd recommend anyone who's been following the book up until now, or who (like me) fell off an issue or two ago to read it. You won't be disappointed.