Action Lab Danger Zone 2015
Written by Shawn Gabborin
Illustrated by Antonio Ontiveros
Coloured by Dan Olvera
With the fight against Anapa over this is the start of a new three part story. It’s six (nearly seven) months later when this story begins. Meanwhile we open up with someone who’s body swapping, each time he dies his consciousness ends up in a new body and it seems he’s bound to be killed time and again mostly by puppets. It’s a great opening because we don’t know his name only that Camille and Neil both recognize him inside his new body. Shawn does a great job setting this up for what could be the remainder of this arc or a new one to come after this one concludes.
Bodega Bay has been bought and it’s restoration has moved along nicely so much so that it’s once again open for business. Antonio does a marvelous job with the hotel interiors and keeping the intricate molding and feel of the place as original as possible, with a few modern touches of course. The Maplethorpe’s bought the place and found Anthony squatting, taking pity on him they let him stay, work for them and treat him like a son. They are good people and with Anthony’s time well spent in learning about how to be the Puppet Master, no thanks to Toulon, there are no problems with the puppets unless he wants there to be.
Our body hopping stranger from the opening has found his way to Bodega Bay. This is where things are going to really get started. The story is interesting and this new player, or very old one, knows about this place, the puppets and has some very mysterious secrets of his own, including how he knows Anthony’s name. However that’s not all as there’s a mysterious puppet roaming the building as well keeping her own tabs on things and up to mischievous behavior, only it’s not directed at people.
I love Anthony’s burgeoning confidence and his relationship with the puppets, sans Toulon, and the ever present threat of Neil and Camille looming in the background. Shawn keeps getting better and better in crafting these stories and giving readers just the right amount of security and imminent danger. The characterization continues to be impressive and this new direction is a delight as now we have to see how much control Anthony has and how he’ll deal with new and growing threats, such as the Bodega Bay once again being occupied.
Antonio’s interiors continue to get stronger and stronger. His use of pages, panels, perspective and angles to tell this story is really strong. The line work looks great, though Anthony’s age does shift in his face from time to time, and he’s really able to draw into the spirit of this franchise and deliver some great tension through his work.
This continues to be the perfect extension to the movie franchise as this continues to grow and evolve the mythology surrounding it.