The Silencer #11 – Dan Abnett, Writer; Jack Herbert, Artist; Mike Spicer, Colorist
Ratings:
Ray – 8/10
Corrina: Choices, Choices
Ray: Ever since it kicked off, The Silencer has been one of the more promising books in the mostly-canceled New Age of DC Heroes line. The only one without a clear parallel to another superhero, it was an intriguing, action-driven story of a female assassin trying to preserve the normal life she’s built. Well, that normal life has largely fallen apart and her husband now thinks she’s dead, killed in the disaster caused by her bosses in Leviathan. So she’s off on a final mission to Talia Al Ghul’s headquarters to finish her former friend off before she can resurrect herself again. Oh, and she’s got a human transformed into a dragon and the robot head of Quietus along for the ride. Before they get to the HQ of Leviathan, they have to make their way through a hidden army of robot assassins in the snow. It’s a tense, exciting kickoff to the issue, but things are just getting started.
Once the trio of mismatched assassins arrives at Castle Leviathan, all hell breaks loose. The sorceress Wishbone (who I didn’t notice was in a wheelchair until now, although it may relate to her exhaustion that keeps her from using her magic) is confronted by dragon-Michael, who wants to be transformed back. Before he can get his wish, a new assassin named Raze – who seems to be Silencer’s opposite number, with a similar suit and light-based abilities – emerges. It turns out that Leviathan agents from around the world are present, all called there by Talia Al Ghul as part of a master plan she’s been building towards since the first issue. I won’t spoil the twists here, but this was easily my favorite issue of the series. We’re getting some major plot advancement, and it’s great to see Honor in her element again – if the cliffhanger is any indication, she’s got a lot of fighting to do next issue.
Corrina: The art team has to draw a cast of hundreds, a battle in the show, the massive room containing the Lazarus Pit, a severed robot head, a dragon, and an invisible assassin.
Not to mention Talia in a white dress, looking refreshed and as deadly a femme fatale as ever.
In other words, this issue looks fantastic. But, then, the art has always been a strong aspect of the series.
The main problem with the concept, however, is that at some point, Honor is either going to lose her family or her family is going to have to find out the secret, that she’s an international assassin, and perhaps lose them because of that. That confrontation keeps getting pushed back but, hopefully, as soon as the situation is resolved with Talia, it’ll happen, one way or another.
But, to get back to this issue, Talia does look magnificent in her big speech. Why one of these assassins doesn’t just shoot her remains a question, but that may be my cynicism. Perhaps they were afraid someone would kill them and didn’t want to die.
Of course, Honor’s choice is going to cause more problems for her, not that she could make any other. I’m hoping that she’s able to get out of this life, return to her family, and have a happy ending. But I suspect that her separation from her family is likely permanent. We’ll see. I hope the book proves me wrong.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
Disclaimer: GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
