WildCats # 12 - Cracked Halo

(No Spoilers)

A full year’s worth of Wildcats is completed in this issue and with it the departure of artist Neil Googe.  Googe has had his hand in Wildstorm since Majestic’s ongoing series and later Gail Simone’s Welcome to Tranquility.  He’s done some awesome work during those runs as well as this Wildcats run and he’ll be missed.  But he gets to send off in grandiose fashion with this issue!

I heard some criticism early on when Wildcats: World’s End began that the team didn’t seem to have much happen to them following Armageddon.  No members died and they still have their base of operations.  Only the setting changed.  Well, I won’t say how, but they get a good kick to the gut in this issue that should satisfy those nay-sayers out there who wanted more hurt brought down on the Wildcats.  It’s the Wildcats vs. Defile vs. Majestic!  And in the middle of it all, we get to see another example of why (even though he is not currently) Spartan has always been the Wildcats’ leader.  His selflessness is this issue is classic Spartan and it makes for a touching moment with him and Voodoo (who is the current team leader).  We even get some old story devices such as Otherspace, last seen in Wildcats 3.0.  But digging up long lost things like that has been one of Gage’s strength during his Wildcats run.  Gage brings the Defile/Wildcats conflict to a satisfying end as we gear up for the Wildcats/Team 7 crossover beginning next month where they finally take on the villain Tao!