The Good
Whenever Kevin Walker's on art, it's obvious the visuals are going to impress. The man has a real talent when it comes to illustrating a wide range of facial expressions and he perfectly conveys the mood each character is in, no matter what the situation may be. Whether they're struggling for their life, shocked or simply amused, Walker does a topnotch job bringing their emotions front and center. Walker also does wonderful work with the action (which there's plenty of) and setting the large stage for each scene. Meanwhile, Jean-Franco Beaulieu fills in the panels with gorgeously vivid coloring, giving each scene its own immersive and bright atmosphere. Overall, it's a really solid looking issue.
As for the script, thinking this is a conclusion to a big story would be a very misleading way to view things. Instead, it serves as a prelude for the next big story and writer Dennis Hopeless does so by hitting us with a massive development. Before we're hit with the twist, this issue is basically one big and quite amusing brawl which really delivers thanks to the art team. The development may fill some fans with hope, but I imagine it's too little too late for the many who have thrown aside this title because of how their favorite characters are being treated.
The Bad
I'm certainly no expert on Nico or the mystical side of things in Marvel, but it was my understanding the Staff of One couldn't bring people back from the dead, and it goes without saying Nico was quite deceased after casting the spell. I understand the logic is she put a lot of blood into the spell, but should that really suffice? And now that she's "recharged," what does that mean for her in the long run?
There's an interesting bit of dialogue in the opening scene which immediately stood out to me and seemingly calls out a certain group of readers. Apex is wondering who the real villain is behind this terrible scenario and one of her thoughts is that it's perhaps the "audience sitting at home, watching to see what horrible thing might happen next." Now, it's entirely possible I'm reading too much into this, but this seemed like a jab at the people who criticize the book yet still read it because they're attached to the cast of characters. Because, unless my memory is pulling an epic fail right now, I was under the impression Arcade (and his droid) was the only one watching this scenario.
Minor gripe: for a character who's only power is controlling technology, Apex sure can endure a lot of punishment. That was, what, 3 or so rather brutal attacks in close proximity to her?
The Verdict
As I said above, calling this the conclusion of a story is very misleading. In fact, it doesn't really wrap anything up except for Apex no longer being an immediate threat. If anything, it's primarily an opening for the next chapter, and based on the cliffhanger and "next" tease, it's sure to bring gigantic changes to the book's status quo. But, like I also stated above, it's understandable to be highly skeptical of this glimmer of hope and it's probably not enough to pull back fans who have walked away. Ultimately, it's Kevin Walker's commendable art which boosts this book from 2 stars to 3 stars for me. If you've been enjoying the ride, odds are you'll eat this one up, too. For everyone else, it all comes down to how you'll react to the huge development.
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