It all comes down to this.
Strolling along on my daily routine, after spending a long time away, I finally return home to treat myself to a few new ishes. Immediately, I reach for this ish, a series that's one of the few that has me coming back for more. Though, if I am to be brutally honest, I haven't been really impressed with some of the chapters in this flippant last arc, though it still satisfied me more than the Otherworld arc.
So anyway, I take a set, open up this issue...to be instantly amazed. I am immediately awestruck by the opening scene, the fierce tension in the air a palatable presence. This is clearly not a time for fun and games. Heavy loses have been made, irrevocable damage done, with worse in store if things aren't changed. This rag-tag band of killers are being hurt. They are facing impossible odds...enough to get desperate. Emotions like betrayal and anger run rife, whilst some heavy truths and comparisons come to light. Everything that was even remotely good about these time tested characters, these 'sympathetic killers' is ruthlessly torn apart, prodded, chewed up, spat out and set ablaze until they're left looking no better than the monsters they are fighting.
Remender does an amazing job of really burrowing in deep to the reader's heart, and he's prompted me to think twice about who exactly some of these characters are in essence. Can they really be called 'heroes,' when after all, they brought this whole mess on themselves? Opened the proverbial can of worms and now are left to 'clean up' this mess, when all is coming full circle? As a top tier English student I have been looking a lot into comparative techniques and contrasts, so it is with great heart that I say I am utterly astounded by the varying points Remender raises in this issue. The wonder-combo of Noto's pencils and Martin's colours further adds to the thought-provoking points Remender raises, smartly leaving a single, glaring question out there for the readers to try and decipher;
"Who is the true 'bad guy' here?"
I highly recommend this issue, even if you haven't been keeping up to speed with current events. (C'mon, just look at that awesome cover!)
5 // 5 Stars.
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