Collapser #5 – Mikey Way, Shaun Simon, Writers; Ilias Kyriazis, Artist; Cris Peter, Colorist
Ray – 6/10
Ray: The penultimate issue, Collapser #5, of this very strange superhero drama takes us down the rabbit hole, as Liam James wakes up in a world where everything is perfect. He’s the beloved superhero Collapser, speeding around the city and foiling minor crimes. At home, he’s married to a heavily pregnant Vanessa – who seems to be a caricatured perfect wife and mother to be, rather than the complex character with an interest in his powers. His mother is even alive again, although she seems to have an odd number of memory problems – the first sign that something is very wrong in this world, along with the horrific visions Liam seems to have.
Liam’s not the most likable character or the brightest from what we’ve seen in this run, so it’s not a big surprise it takes him longer than expected to clue in here. It takes some genuinely disturbing effects for it to become clear what’s going on and who’s behind it.
The second half of Collapser #5 is full of some great, creepy visuals, but it’s packed with the same problems that have plagued this series since the start. Characters take massive heel turns with little preamble, and elements that seemed to be only in flashback are introduced into the series with only an issue to go.
Liam mostly seems to bumble around his heroic quest, falling in and out of the lives of people who have done little to deserve the trouble he brings them. The first issue of this series seemed to set up a coming of age story that would lead to Liam becoming a better hero, but instead it mostly seems to show that he destroys everything he touches. The addition of a major new villain with one issue to go seems to promise a chaotic finale, but it’s a puzzle to me how this book can be wrapped up in only twenty-something pages.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
Disclaimer: GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
