In which Ralph learns the truth too late
For the last 13 weeks, Ralph Dibny has been slowly going crazy over the loss of his wife Sue, and the subsequent desecration of her grave. Last week he tracked down Cassie (Wonder Girl) and was invited into the Cult of Conner to assist in the resurrection of his wife. This issue kicks off with Ralph, dressed in ceremonial garb, taking part in the ceremony.
But he doesn’t come alone. Hidden among the members are Hal Jordan (Green Lantern), Oliver Queen (Green Arrow), Zauriel, and Rex Mason (Metamorpho). The four think they are there to bust up the cult, but before they can act Ralph tells them he wanted them present to see if it could actually work. Hal, Rex, and Ollie have come back from the dead, and with Zauriel being an angel, Ralph is seeking the truth.
On the alter is a straw rendition of Sue with a likeness of her face stitched to the dummy. Throughout the ceremony each of his companions tries to convince Ralph the cult is nothing more than hoax, and when the final moment comes, the Elongated Man comes to his senses, tossing the Blood Kryptonite to Rex, who promptly destroys it.
The discovery of the infiltrators and the subsequent fighting causes the building to catch fire. During Ralph’s struggle with cult leader Devem, the creepiest scene plays out as the straw figure claws its way toward Ralph, calling his name.
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Ralph suddenly realizes what he has done, and while the supers are busy getting everyone to safety, Ralph makes off with his straw bride. In a bizarre homage to Identity Crisis, week 13 comes to a close with the shocking image of the two.
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Meanwhile… Black Adam and Isis continue their quest to find Adrianna’s brother. One can see a real change in Black Adam’s attitude and how he is starting to change thanks to the newest member of the Marvel family. But knowing Isis is no where to be found (yet) in the One Year Later titles, one has to wonder if Black Adam will once again lose someone he cares for.
This is the second week of origin stories, this week focusing on the Elongated Man himself. Mark Waid does a great job of summing up the entire history of Ralph in just two pages, and the art by Kevin Nowlan is superb.
These last couple weeks the action has started to pick up and we are really seeing where the stories are converging, which makes waiting for the next issue that much harder. The stories are being told quite well, but with 39 weeks to go will Geoff Johns be able to tie everything up in time to merge with OYL? If he keeps going at this pace, all questions will be answered.
52 Week 13 earns 5 stars.
