The Authority # 10 - Interludes: How We All Came Through Fire

(No Spoilers)

Apparently ‘10’ is a good number for Wildstorm this month because after an amazing issue with Wildcats #10, The Authority #10 delivers so much good story packed into this issue.  We get four short “Interlude” stories which fill in some gaps and set up some future conflicts for The Authority.  Dan Abbett & Andy Lanning provide the story for this one but Simon Colby gets a well-deserved break as Brandon Badeaux does the art for this issue.  And his art is incredible! 

First up we see how Jenny Sparks’ ex-husband Lorezno escaped Rendelsham (not a spoiler since he’s already free in the World’s End storyline).  The fights Lorenzo engages in show us what a bad ass he really is.  And while it’s not clear why he stays at Rendelsham, it was cool to see the seeds being planted of deals he strikes to further his as yet unrevealed motivations. 

Next, we get some answers concerning The Doctor.  Not exactly what some people were hoping for as it’s a story that fills in the moments after Number of the Beast #8, but it is still a great story as we see why The Doctor went mad.  If read in conjunction with Number of the Beast #8, this interlude adds such weight to what happened to The Authority after The Carrier crashed into London.  You can feel the hopelessness of each of the members as the world literally falls apart around them and it’s heartbreaking (for me personally, the Jack Hawksmoor/The Doctor scene was the most powerful). 

The last two interludes are shorter, but still serve their purposes.  The third almost seems like a little nod-nod, wink-wink at the fans because it shows The Eidolon and where he really landed (after The High threw him from in Number of the Beast #8).  Where he landed was a topic that prompted a little discussion at the official Wildstorm message boards so it’s funny that DnA basically came in story wise and told all the boarders that their estimation as to Eidolon’s landing were all wrong…without actually saying they were wrong.  And I think that’s funny.

Lastly, we get a set up for future Authority stories (as seen by the solicitation for The Authority #12 in July), as we see Kaizen Gamorra rejoice at his own brilliance as to how his nation survived Armageddon.  And what’s cool, is he does it without saying a single word.

DnA provided so much info and great stuff in this issue I definitely felt like I got my money’s worth with this one.

“Team 7: ” backup story.  The second and final part of this backup story is mostly setup much like most of the backup stories have been, but what an incredible set up it is!  Team 7 is now privy to Tao’s plans and as Lynch so appropriately states on the last page…”it’s going to be war.”  All I can say is, hell yeah!

This “Interlude” issue takes us back to four different moments of Armageddon moments after the end of Number of the Beast and shows us some of the aftermath and glimpses why things are the way they are for the most part without answering all the questions. Lorenzo gets the bulk of this issue, then the Authority, with Eidolon and Kazian Gomorra getting touched upon.

DnA have been slowly working towards the home stretch of their run. This ‘interlude’ issue could’ve easily been boring, but this writing team did a great job showing the tragedy that befell the Authority that beautifully illustrated how far the team fell and how Lorenzo became the man behind the Establishment.