The Heartbeat Tides of a Dream As They Ebb and Flow
So, to date, the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents covers consist of...
Andy Kubert doing the best job ever, with depth and complexity and a perfect visual design.
Frazer Irving doing what he always does.
And now Dustin Nguyen doing what he always does.
This series continues to show not only the best way to rotate cover artists, but the best way to use multiple artists. Walter Simonson isn't just 'an artist who fleshes out what Wes Craig couldn't get to,' he's an actual essential part of the story, taking art duties during the flashback sequences. Wes Craig is starting to show his specific usefullness, doing a stellar job at capturing the dark feel of the Subterran world. This is the first time in the series where I can confidently say, Wes Craig works better here than CAFU would have. It's all about the specific setting. CAFU was perfect when everything was all espionage and action, but here in the underground, Craig's artwork sets the tone extraordinarily well. And then Walter Simonson's artwork feels so natural alongside Craig's, like it truly is the same art, but set in the past.
As usual, the pacing alone is a masterpiece. Near repetition of panels sets a heart beating tension, and the narration hovering in and out of NoMan's regrets feels like the rush of the ocean, in and out, coming closer to the breaking point every time as it weaves together the past and the present with a dreamlike flow.
In Conclusion: 4.5/5
I can't say this series is perfection, and this review is short because its hard to say much about the plot. Not a whole lot really happened in this issue, but it didn't feel that way, and that's quite an achievement. Despite me being unable to declare perfection, T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents always comes so close it barely matters. This is fantastic and you need to buy it because it just CAN'T be over after this. There just NEEDS to be more under Nick Spencer's genius pen.