Review: DCeased #5

“Hope Lost”
Writer:Tom Taylor
Artists: Trevor Hairsine and Stefano Gaudiano
Color Artist: Rain Beredo
Letterer: Saida Temofonte
Review by Steve J. Ray

 DCeased #5 is incredible. “Hope Lost” isn’t just a title, it’s a statement. Anyone who’s a true DC fan will know what those words really mean, and they tear at the soul from the very first page. The entire issue is a battle to get through, both for the protagonists and for the reader. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that as a criticism, in fact it’s a true and heartfelt compliment to the fine creators who’ve given us this haunting, harrowing, yet beautiful story.
The amazing thing about DCeased is the real sense of love I get from its pages. Writer Tom Taylor knows, understands and – yes- truly loves every single one of these characters. Heroes, villains, men, women, and monsters… I don’t think there are many writers out there who have as firm a grasp on them as he does. From the opening pages with Superman and Wonder Woman surveying the wreckage of Earth’s major cities, Taylor grabs you by the throat, the guts and the heart. I’ve never seen a more human, yet vulnerable – yet still totally true to character – rendition of Lex Luthor. He may have always hated Superman, but he loved his city.
Then there’s the humor. I never once thought that Luthor would ever make me smile, but there’s a line in this issue pertaining to Batman which, honestly, made me laugh out loud.

Death Masks

Trevor Hairsine and Stefano Gaudiano add even more emotional weight to the writing, as their characters are so beautifully emotive and expressive. I’ve heard a few fans say that this series is let down by the art… I don’t know what comic they’re reading. If pages one, two, three, and that incredible climax, don’t tear at your heart, then I’m not really sure that you have one.
Rain Beredo’s color art and the letters by Saida Temofonte are the blood pumping through the veins of this issue. The book is full of gore and violence, but red is also the color of passion and love. Though there are some truly horrific moments in this comic, the main emotion I left with (other than impending doom) was love. The love of a father, a husband and a son. The love of a true hero.

Conclusion

The word masterpiece is banded about a lot, but honestly, in my opinion this series and this issue qualify. DCeased #5 is without doubt one of the best comics of 2019. Yes it was torture, yes it hurt, but those are the feelings that let us know we’re alive. Technology is dead, but paradise may yet be awaiting the survivors; both in the Green of Gotham’s Central Park, and on the aptly named Paradise Island of Themyscira.
Just don’t step on the grass.
Images Courtesy Of DC Entertainment

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Thought Bubble 2024 convention & festival dates announced

Image
Article by Steve J. Ray Thought Bubble  is, without a doubt, the UK’s best entirely comic-based convention and art festival. I’ve been fortunate enough to attend the show for the last three years, and have been anxious to see what’s in store this year. Well, the wait is over, as the team behind the event has announced the Thought Bubble 2024 convention & festival dates. THOUGHT BUBBLE ANNOUNCES 2024 COMIC CONVENTION & FESTIVAL DATES ACCLAIMED COMIC ART CONVENTION AND FESTIVAL TO TAKE PLACE ACROSS YORKSHIRE THIS NOVEMBER THOUGHT BUBBLE FESTIVAL LEEDS & ACROSS YORKSHIRE 11 -17 NOVEMBER 2024 THOUGHT BUBBLE COMIC CONVENTION HARROGATE CONVENTION CENTRE 16 & 17 NOVEMBER 2024   https://www.thoughtbubblefestival.com “Thought Bubble is the place to be. This is the show where everyone feels and is treated like family” –  Dark Knight News “Thought Bubble is the most important comic convention around” –  Popverse Returning to the Harrogate Convention Centre,...
Read more

Mystic Muses: A D&D Podcast

Image
Article by Philip Clark An all queer cast. An all femme ensemble. A non-binary Dungeon Master. Throw in some quality story-telling and role playing too, this sounds like a whole lot of fun! If any of the previously mentioned things has piqued your interests, then I implore you to check out Mystic Muses. You can find this wonderfully crafted podcast where you can find all your other favourites including Spotify. There are currently four episodes out. Episode 0 is the prologue and character introductions, and I have to say it is very well put together! The intro to each episode is cleverly crafted, with the players and DM each sounding off a sentence to bring us into the game space. Speaking of bringing us into the game space, Adam, the talented DM sets the scene for the story very nicely. A descriptive, yet concise introduction to the environment gives both the players and audience a vibe of what we're in for. Then come the delicious character introductions that give vivid descripti...
Read more

Fantastic Universes Interview: Madison, Matthew and Macsen Lintz From 'The Walking Dead'

Image
Interview panel led by Steve J. Ray, with a gathering of Comic/TV Media Journalists. I've spoken to some amazing people over the last couple of years; writers, artists, costume designers, and actors from some of my favorite TV shows. It's no secret that I'm a huge comic-book fan, and one of the TV series that's based on and inspired by a comics title - but has gone on to be so much more - is The Walking Dead . At a recent Comic-Con in London, I had the great opportunity of leading a panel where some fellow journalists and I spoke with Madison, Matthew and Macsen Lintz, three siblings who played Sophia and both iterations of Henry on the show. The eldest, Madison Lintz (born 1999) played Sophia Peletier - Carol's daughter - in the first two seasons. She's also well known for playing Maddie Bosch in the Amazon series Bosch . She started acting at the age of six, filming commercials and voice-overs. Matthew (born 2001) took over the role of Henry from ...
Read more