The H-Dial takes Summer and Miguel to the most dangerous planet of all: APOKALIPS! Your Major Spoilers review of Dial H For Hero #11 from DC Comics awaits!
DIAL H FOR HERO #11
Writer: Sam Humphries
Artist: Joe Quinones
Colorist: Jordan Gibson
Letterer: Dave Sharpe
Editor: Brittany Holzherr
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: January 29, 2020
Previously in Dial H For Hero: Miguel and Summer’s quest for the H-Dial takes them to the most dangerous place yet: Apokolips! But even with victory so close, Mr. Thunderbolt always has one more trick up his sleeve…
WHEN ALL IS LOST
Last time, a journey to Earth-32 led to utter madness, as Miguel (aka Super-Miguel) was split into four Super-Miguels, and this issue begins with the four of them rushing headlong into Apokalips to claim the final dial, the K-Dial from Granny Goodness herself! After losing her her partner to quadruplication, Summer returns to the Heroverse, where Robby “The Operator” Reed warns her that things are even worse than they seem, as possession of the fourth dial will allow Mister Thunderbolt to recast the ENTIRE UNIVERSE in his own image, transforming everyone into a super-powered being under his control. Summer transforms once more into Lo Lo Kick You, her hero of choice, but four Miguels proves to be more of a challenge than she thought. By using the Y-Dial, MIguel tries to reunite, only to find himself still split into two different heroes, one of whom reveals that one of him has no intentions of returning, instead allying himself with Mister Thunderbolt and capturing Summer and the other MIguel in the K-Dial. Mister Thunderbolt dials his four assembled dials, only to find that the ENTIRE MULTIVERSE is…
…an H-Dial!
FOUR FOR THE PRICE OF ONE
This issue is another wild ride, juxtaposing Summer’s memories of her father and how his job as a pharmacist turned into something entirely different with the tale of four Super-Miguels breaking into the firepits, and the balance works quite well. When Mister Thunderbolt uses his powers and “ascends” we are shown that not only is The Monitor concerned, but the Speed Force is affected, Darkseid is enraged and the angels of capital-H Heaven take notice, and the final page reveal uses the iconigraphy of ‘Multiversity’ to great effect, taking advantage of multiple threads of continuity. I even appreciate the repeated appearance of Lo Lo Kick You, even if it seems to break the established rules of the H-Dial. Joe Quinones goes a little bit crazy with the art this issue, giving us a lovely Bronze Age Jack Kirby riff for the sequence on Apokalips, a Dan Clowes-inspired style for the flashbacks of Summer’s childhood, and obvious anime influences for Lo Lo’s latest look. Perhaps the only real sour note in the issue is the description of Summer and Miguel’s prison within the K-Dial as… a K-Hole. That’s… not right.
BOTTOM LINE: FULL-TILT ACTION-ADVENTURE
In short, Dial H For Hero #11 manages to up the ante of the previous issues, all of which were pretty wild themselves, with creative super-powers, some incredibly chameleonic but always amazing art by Quinones and a cliffhanger worthy of the name, earning 4.5 out of 5 stars overall. If they manage to wrap this one up well next issue, this iteration of Dial H will be the most successful and coherent version of this property ever, which I hope will mean more DH4H down the line… If nothing else, it’s been a great ride.
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DIAL H FOR HERO #11
This issue is a thrill ride with a truly impressive and shocking cliffhanger, and I enjoyed every minute of it.
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Writing9
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Art10
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Coloring9
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.