Valiant Entertainment 2015
Written by Robert Venditti
Illustrated by Raul Allen & Patricia Martin
Art Assists by David Astruga
Colour Assists by Borja Pindado
Lettered by Patricia Martin
Earth's immortal soldier thought he knew pain? And then he entered the depths of his enemy's "LABYRINTH"? The mysterious figure known only as the Dying One is on a mission to unlock the secrets of the Eternal Warrior's immortality?and the only way he can accomplish it is to kill him over and over again! Trapped at the heart of a miles-long gauntlet of technologically inflicted cruelties and mechanical terrors designed to dissect, examine and analyze, Gilad has finally been cornered?and he's about to realize that if he can't escape, he'll simply have to survive.
I still cannot believe the level of writing that Robert keeps bringing to this series. The characterization from the get go has been surprising as we’ve gotten to know so much more about Gilad. Exploring aspects of his life we’ve never seen before and the realm with his family that has been a constant in his life as he heals from each death just brings a whole new respect for the man.
As this issue goes on and Gilad, who as it turns out isn’t as smart a man as we’d like to believe keeps experiencing death at the hands of the Dying One. I love that while he’s captured, it was done so while his body was recovering so it was easy to steal the body from where it was, he’ll take each death in stride to keep learning. He’ll come back time and again though I wonder if a true autopsy is performed what would happen, all the organs and the brain if they are removed can he find a way to come back?
Once again instead of relying upon his fighting skills Gilad has to use his brain here and it’s almost like he’s not as comfortable with that. The characterization Robert keeps bringing us as he continues to make Gilad a fuller more reachable and relatable character is amazing to see and honestly i’ve never liked him as much as I do in this run. Heck even seeing the influence this series has on the 4001 version is incredible.
Raul and Patricia have this real sense of how to visually tell this story. The flow through the pages panels with the use of angles and perspective is beyond amazing. There are moments that it has a classic, okay 70’s/80’s, sensibility to it and yet it’s still so modern with it’s attention to detail. The use of the backgrounds really flesh out this steel labyrinth in the best possible ways. The bring that cold analytical aspect and then the Dying Man and his familiar look by contrast, that of a desperate man, really do wonders in keeping you riveted.
The Dying One is desperate and he wants to learn how to stave off death. Instead of working with or trying to learn from he’s taking and in this action he’s proven he’s not worthy of living longer. I love that kind of characterization, and the scientists with him, is this because we can not because we should or are they that loyal to him they’ll do anything, even die? That we are so engrossed in this story and ask a ton of questions about “background” characters is a testament to how Robert writes.
This and Ninjak for me lead the way this year in demonstrating the strength of characters the company has and the unlimited possibilities and potential moving forward.