Dynamite Entertainment 2015
Written by Cullen Bunn
Illustrated by Eman Casallos
Coloured by Adriano Augusto
Normally about now the story would be winding up to the point that everything should be falling into place and the heroes ready to save the day. Cullen doesn’t do normally however, well not always, and the weirdness is just getting started.
The group that went to a dystopian future found themselves with the Spider but this isn't’ the man who they’ve been working with. The Shadow and the Spider’s interaction with one another is both telling and revealing if you pay attention. Personally I can’t decide if both Spider’s are legit or if one of them is influenced by the Red Death. To have purposefully brought them all together in order to triumph over them, keep them occupied while she enacts her plans seems a more logical plan. With Cullen though I can’t be sure he’ll pull a twist out of this that will surprise us even further.
I have to say that we see heroes disappearing and reappearing as if time has become that unstable altering conversations is fantastically done. Yeah as we see these characters more and see what they are capable of as a reader I become more intrigued. Time travel machines, mixed up aura’s and unique powers on display really do make me miss some of their individual series and make want more. The future teams continued travels are just so nice to see with the sulking and walking in shadows not being comfortable for everyone.
I will say though that the Green Llama’s team with both Miss Fury’s and Peter Cannon yeah they I find the most fascinating and if this series doesn’t generate the interest in all them getting at least a limited series then there’s no justice in the world because the characterization here is absolutely fantastic. I love the cliffhangers too I mean they didn’t end up in Dinosaurland by themselves but who is with them we won’t find out today. It’s bits and pieces like this that just make it so good and frustrating because you want more!
The party goers is sheer fun for me. While I wish we had a scorecard with each issue reminding us who’s who because for the life of me I can’t remember who the girl that looks like Kato but isn’t is. That this group also has a Spider among them while both confusing and interesting is the only thing about them, aside mysterio girl, that is. The Green Hornet’s we’ve seen plenty of so that we don’t spend as much time with them i’m okay with. Though I do appreciate what we’re seeing here and all the running from a crazed mob is great.
The last page doesn’t clear anything up it just adds to the mystery of who’s controlling time and moving everyone around the timestream. I mean we see new versions of characters, some classic others new and different so it’s a huge jumbalaya of craziness and it’s the kind of thing that makes you clench in frustration while simultaneously squealing in fanboy delight. Actually the whole story so far is pretty much a fanboy’s dream with all these characters working together in a grand sweeping epic story.
Eman and Adriano working together on this is also something to applaud. The attention to detail in the characters, backgrounds and just every facet of this book has been phenomenal. For a guy like who just can’t enough of the detail oriented artwork it really shines and makes a statement. Not to mention there are moments like the Black Terror’s chest that glows with that eerie light which is perfect.
This is an amazing story and the way Cullen is able to handle such a massive cast of characters has been beyond what we could’ve expected. Also it really does make me want to have more of these characters individually in limited or ongoing series.