New to her superpowers, Naomi is thrust into the action and portalled to her home world. What will she find there, and just how powerful is she? Find out in Naomi #6!
NAOMI #6
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis and David F. Walker
Artist: Jamal Campbell
Letterer: Wes Abbott
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 10, 2019
Previously in Naomi: Naomi has just found out that, wonder of wonders, she does have an alien origin, and she has powers, and while her father is an alien, they’re different types. This is a lot to process, and she goes to her good friend Annabelle. Anna is the kind of friend we should all hope to have. She takes it all in and accepts what Naomi tells her. Part of what she has learned, though, is that an alien mass murderer named Zumbado acquired superpowers and for some reason is after her!
THEY GROW UP SO FAST
Things are now moving along briskly in Naomi #6. Dee mutters about Naomi’s parents’ visit to his garage and how he’s probably going to get into trouble, when an alarm goes off on a device of his and he suits up and gets on his motorcycle.
Naomi’s parents arrive where Annabelle is standing, now alone. In the course of two pages, the writing deftly makes the balance between showing her completely shaken up by the events of the evening, almost incoherent, yet being able to steadily drop bits of information before we see the flashback where Zumbado claims that Akira sent him to get Naomi. Behind him is a gateway, and Naomi cannot resist going through. Sure, we all know that’s probably not the best idea, but the temptation is irresistible, especially to Naomi who is sort of overwhelmed by this new past she has. Dee also arrives – his device has led him here. There’s a bit of discussion, but one part that really struck me was where Naomi’s mom, in tears, insists she’s still too young, she’s not ready for whatever is happening to her. Annabelle, who may really know her better, is a staunch friend who is not afraid to insist that she is ready.
Naomi winds up on an alien home world that has been destroyed. Surrounded by the wreckage of crumbling buildings, Zumbado introduces himself as a friend of her parents. He talks to her like a friend, like someone who understands what it’s like to get powers and wants to help her work through them. He encourages her to unleash her powers to help with the feelings. But she remembers his name and that he killed her parents. That sets off a brief fight and as the clincher, he tells her she should blame her feelings on her parents, and he tells her he’s coming to Earth. He does monologue for a bit about how he’s been looking for her. Then she gets sent back to Earth. It feels a little abrupt, but it does set up potential plot business.
She lands where everyone else has been, somewhat shaken and bursting with adrenalin. The dialogue is as fast paced and disjointed as one would probably be after that kind of crazy experience, and it feels like we’ve reached the end of an origin story and set up a new heroine.
ALL ABOUT THE EYES
The art in Naomi #6 is solid; it has been so consistent. What really stood out to me this time was the eyes. There’s a lot of intense emotion here, and the eyes carry that with so many of the characters. But there’s even more. When Zumbado appears, Annabelle’s and Naomi’s eyes seem to reflect him and the open portal behind him. It’s a pretty cool effect.
Naomi’s home world is also fascinating. There are some dynamic color contrasts between greens and purples, which set things off and give it an alien flavor. I like the architectural details we see in some of the buildings. There are just enough spires and spirals to establish that this place is unlike earth. The art builds up to the big fight scene, which is exciting, even if it gets a little confusing by the time Naomi gets pushed back to Earth.
BOTTOM LINE: A STAUNCH AND STUBBORN HEROINE
I think Naomi #6 is a good book. It captures a lot of emotion and tension. It shows us more of what’s going on rather than bogging us down in narration. I still get a feeling that there is a whole lot of plot ahead – everyone we have met has a history full of conflict and loose ends. I hope the team can hold it all together without losing focus on our main character.
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Naomi #6
I think Naomi #6 is a good book. It captures a lot of emotion and tension. It shows us more of what’s going on rather than bogging us down in narration. I still get a feeling that there is a whole lot of plot ahead – everyone we have met has a history full of conflict and loose ends. I hope the team can hold it all together without losing focus on our main character.
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Writing8
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Coloring8
By day, she’s a mild-mannered bureaucrat and Ms. Know-It-All. By night, she’s a dance teacher and RPG player (although admittedly not on the same nights). On the weekends, she may be found judging Magic, playing Guild Wars 2 (badly), or following other creative pursuits. Holy Lack of Copious Free Time, Batman! While she’s always wished she had teleportation as her superpower, she suspects that super-speed would be much more practical because then she’d have time to finish up those steampunk costumes she’s also working on.