The Midnighter has sacrificed everything to save Apollo from the pits of Neron’s underworld. Of course, now he’s got nothing left to save himself… Your Major Spoilers review of Midnighter And Apollo #6 awaits!
MIDNIGHTER AND APOLLO #6
Writer: Steve Orlando
Artist: Fernando Blanco
Colorist: Romulo Fajardo Jr. with John Rauch
Letterer: Josh Reed
Editor: Chris Conroy
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Previously in Midnighter And Apollo: Created by madman Henry Bendix to be his world’s finest enforcers, Apollo and The Midnighter have had a tumultuous career and an even more tumultuous relationship. When the demon known as Neron took Apollo for his own sick game, Midnighter fought his way into and through hell, finally confronting Neron himself and saving Apollo’s tortured soul from Neron’s clutches. But the spells used to do so have consumed even his superhuman body, leaving Midnighter helpless at Neron’s hands…
“NOT TODAY, @&$^$!”
After the buildup to last issue’s confrontation, I’m kind of entertained by how this issue begins. As the black candle begins to burn out, Midnighter is beaten, while Neron gloats and monologues about his triumph. As he moves to strike a killing blow, Apollo returns at high speed, calling the devil an obscene word and collecting his badly beaten love. Before they can escape, though Neron calls up the damned souls and/or hallucinations of all the people our heroes have ever killed (which, by they way, is a LOT of people.) Midnighter isn’t up for a fight, but still manages to rally long enough for some punchy-punch, before using Apollo’s solar-powered speed to rocket out of hell like the proverbial bat. After they’ve recovered and reunited, we cut forward to Peru, where Gregorio De La Vega has called them together to celebrate A&M’s return from hell with a final toast and a couple of mysterious guest-stars. As the issue closes, our heroes have returned home to take some well-deserved R&R before setting out on their overarching quest to show people how long you can live without a spine…
RACING AGAINST TIME
The honest truth is, not a lot of plot happens in these pages, but it’s not even a problem thanks to the emotional reconnections, desperate flight from heck, quiet dialogue moments and one full-page big ol’ kiss between our heroes. I love Orlando’s dialogue, taking the kind of tough-guy clichés that made so many 1990s era comics unreadable and rendering them full of character and nuance. I’m also a big fan of finding out that Gregorio (who was likely DC’s first gay character) married Hugh Dawkins, the Tasmanian Devil, another early out superhuman, even with the realization that they were the only two characters around for the other to date circa the late 1980s. I’m still a little puzzled about who all the characters assembled in Peru at the end of the issue are, but in the end, the strong art and wonderful dialogue carry me past that question without problem…
THE BOTTOM LINE: A SUCCESSFUL LOVE STORY
In short, this issue gives us action, sentiment done well, clever dialogue (including a racy line where Apollo humorously asks his longtime love Midnighter if he really thinks Apollo doesn’t recognize the back of his head) and some really lovely art, leaving Midnighter And Apollo #6 with a darn-near perfect 4.5 out of 5 stars overall. With Neron still on the loose in the Rebirth DCU, my hope is that we’ll see these heroes in action again sooner rather than later, as Orlando’s take on them is the strongest since Warren Ellis created them in the pages of Stormwatch several million years ago…
[taq_review]Dear Spoilerite,
At Major Spoilers, we strive to create original content that you find interesting and entertaining. Producing, writing, recording, editing, and researching requires significant resources. We pay writers, podcast hosts, and other staff members who work tirelessly to provide you with insights into the comic book, gaming, and pop culture industries. Help us keep MajorSpoilers.com strong. Become a Patron (and our superhero) today.
Once upon a time, there was a young nerd from the Midwest, who loved Matter-Eater Lad and the McKenzie Brothers... If pop culture were a maze, Matthew would be the Minotaur at its center. Were it a mall, he'd be the Food Court. Were it a parking lot, he’d be the distant Cart Corral where the weird kids gather to smoke, but that’s not important right now... Matthew enjoys body surfing (so long as the bodies are fresh), writing in the third person, and dark-eyed women. Amongst his weaponry are such diverse elements as: Fear! Surprise! Ruthless efficiency! An almost fanatical devotion to pop culture! And a nice red uniform.