Black Mask Studios 2015
Written by Matthew Rosenberg & Patrick Kindlon
Illustrated by Josh Hood & Brian Level
Coloured by Tyler Boss
Lettered by David C. Hopkins
Well now here we are with the final issue hopefully of just this part of the story. I mean really this is one of those rare breed of books where everything is what you think it is and it’s completely like nothing you’d expect it to be. From the get go there’s been something about Duncan that just hasn’t gelled and as we see this issue his entire spiel has been a lie. Well all except for the love he has for Maddie.
His crazy half-baked schemes have brought the pair to the very man whom they robbed and that alone is a more questionable move than I thought someone could have. That he’s able to convince Maddie to go along well maybe that’s his power the ability to talk someone into doing something they know they shouldn’t. I think that’s half the charm of this story however and the way the guys have managed to make every one of Duncan’s bad decisions seem like the most natural thing in the world is one of the reasons that this series has been so much darn fun to read.
I have to admit that this issue was needed as Maddie and Duncan had to go their separate ways at the end but it was the harsh realization of each one coming to grips with their own life and personality that was incredibly powerful. How this was brought to us was done in a way that you couldn’t have gone any other route. Mr. Carroll and his band of merry men, and women, are just what you’d think they’d be here and yet it wasn’t Maddie who really garnered his attention.
This man is scary on more than a few levels. He was able to almost immediately see through Duncan and ascertain what he was about, who he was and was far more interested in his actions than Maddie’s. From the get go we’ve seen him and his life and how things were for him and not once did we see him use this so called power he had, even his own reasoning was suspect while they were on the run like they were. It’s no stretch to see that he had an agenda and a way of doing things that with Maddie he wouldn’t be the bullied by the bully and that’s exactly what he wanted.
How both kids reached their own personal revelations and then what they did afterwards well you need to read it to understand how accurate it turned out being. This is and will be one of the more powerfully written stories you are going to come across. It’s full of insights that can only be seen through actions and decisions and the sheer honesty of the characters in question really do make it such a compelling read.
Josh, Brian and Tyler have done an amazingly exceptional job in bringing this story to life as well. That the kids look like kids and Mr. Carroll as evil and creepy as he should be not to mention all the demonstration of powers in use as well as the little things in backgrounds that many tend to overlook have helped to make this such a standout series.
Thank you all for introducing the world to the new reality of storytelling.