The Wild Storm #20 – Warren Ellis, Writer; Jon Davis-Hunt, Artist; Steve Buccellato, Colorist
Ratings:
Ray – 8/10
The Wild Storm is entering the final act of its initial twenty-four issue run and it’s been picking up momentum in recent months – partially due to the arrival of two fan-favorite characters, Apollo and Midnighter. These two former Authority members were best known in recent years for their stories in the main DCU, but Ellis has reinvented them with more diverse appearances. But The Wild Storm #20 – which gives them their most screentime yet – establishes them as just as deadly as ever. This is a fast-paced issue after the opening pages, which find Miles Craven and Ben Santini discussing their plans to terminate some of their rivals, amusingly called “Retirement Plans.” But after those opening two pages, the story shifts to the isolated farm where Midnighter and Apollo have been hiding out, as dozens of soldiers arrive to take them into custody.
Needless to say, this is going to turn out to be a very big mistake.
The bulk of the issue is almost entirely an action scene, as the soldiers arrive in the barn and are confronted by Apollo – who almost regretfully eliminates them all with a blinding burst of light. There’s very little dialogue in this issue, and that lets Jon Davis-Hunt shine in maybe the best issue of the series for his art. There’s two stunning double-page spreads – one a shot of Apollo tearing through a tank, and another a scene of Midnighter dismantling an army of goons and killing them with a single blow. The character used to be associated with ultraviolence and he definitely doesn’t hold back here, but there’s a businesslike nature to his violence here that works. He’s not a sadist, but he eliminates anything that might be a threat. Even though Midnighter and Apollo don’t talk much here, their bond is very clear – and that’s the only thing that truly matters when it comes to writing them. I’m hoping that this final arc is leading to a new spotlight for these characters.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
Disclaimer: GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
