Rebirth of the Ouroburos
Disclaimer: I'll be talking about a lot of metaphors from across the series, so spoilers for #1-5 and some of 6 will be present.
The Good: I have to say, one of things I noticed this issue was something very strange. Although Frazer Irving's art is noted for its extreme detail and darkness, in a sense its actually very simple. There's an odd elegant beauty to it that really suits this issue, and the way the heavy washings of color create the mood really fit this series to a T.
The dynamic shared between the characters is fabulous. None of it is too overdone, it is completely just right.
As always, Rozum knows how to make things WEIRD.
Rozum did something AMAZING here. He took a very obvious Deus Ex Machina, and made it into something beautiful. Literally and metaphorically. But the last minute addition of the Pearl of Wisdom bothered me in #5. And then David precedes to use it almost right away in this issue, suddenly stating "Then just like that it's over. I know what to do." And I was feeling let down by this obviously shoehorned DEM. And then, as the issue progressed, the seemingly DEM blossomed forth into something new and more complex, taking into account tiny moments back from #1 into account. It was a beauty to watch this subversion of lazy writing unfold before me.
Roland Finch was starting to get boring. He started off as a very clever villain, storming in with everything pre-planned and stole the hearts of readers. But as the issue began, he was starting to deconstruct his badassery with his blathering on about "I PLANNED THIS! I CONTROL MY FUTURE BY BEING AWESOME AND MAKING SURE EVERYTHING HAPPENS MY WAY." And he gets his just desserts properly for his devolution.
Anyone who's read the issue knows what I mean when I say the reconstruction full page scene blew me away with its incredibly subtlety and macabre beauty.
David Kim. Normal? The end of this issue wraps up the series right where it began. But David's learned something. To hold on to the precious moments of life. His entire journey, everything had a purpose and meaning. The rendezvous at the prison taught him about relying on his comrades. Allowing himself to let the weird world be his friend and not his enemy. James Church showed him what happens if we demonize our weirdness, we fade away. Working alongside the Rustling Husk helped him let go of his antagonism towards the weird world, showing him it has no grudge, it didn't choose to accept David into its folds, it simply happened. Maranatha's unstoppable rage was a catalyst for him to meet the spirits who taught him the preciousness of life, and Maranatha himself showed David what it's like to strike blindly at what you don't understand, you simply end up eventually fighting and fighting for no reason, loosing any semblance of what a life is. Annie Palmer taught him about fighting for your world, earning your peace of mind, but without anger. If you lash out desperately, you get fooled by false prophets. You must allow your world to come to you, but hold on stedfast. Some of the conversations in #5 showed he doesn't have to let the weird world define him. Everyone has their dark sides, and not everyone will agree with those dark sides, but if you can use it, do it. And don't alienate others for their sins, because you have your own. Finally, Roland Finch taught him that you CAN control your own tomorrow. And in the end David has come full circle, learning all of these lessons WITHOUT ANYONE EVERY DIRECTLY TEACHING HIM. This wasn't just a bunch of awesome stuff, every single plot point had a deep and powerful meaning for David's life, and his ouroburous journey to learn the meaning of himself. He is healed and brought back to life constantly, but only now, at the end of this series, has he been truly... RESURRECTED.
Bonus borwnie points. I actually did some research. The movie David and Chet are watching at the end? LOST SKELETON OF CADAVERA. But the quote itself is an amazing representation of David's life.
The Bad: THIS IS THE LAST ISSUE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. WHY DC?
In Conclusion: 5/5
Ummm.... well, I kind of said it all already. The journey of 6 issue, importance of EVERY SINGLE PLOT POINT, subversion of Deus Ex Machine, research easter egg. This is easily one of the greatest series I have ever read. I can only hope that David Kim's titles heal the way he does.
