A quick twist in the tale, and a chance for a series to redeem itself. Will Convergence #5 be the hopeful tale we’ve been waiting for?
CONVERGENCE #5
Writer: Jeff King
Artist: Andy Kubert
Inker: Sandra Hope
Colorist: Brad Anderson, Peter Steigerwald
Editor: Marie Javins
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Previously in Convergence: Deimos has trapped Brainiac, and he has the power to bring Telos to his knees. will he set everything right?
WARLORD OVERLORD
If the cliffhanger from last issue had you wondering if Brainiac Prime return would signal a multi-issue power struggle and battle involving heroes from many worlds, this issue quickly squashes those thoughts. Deimos reveals the terror of the multiverse to everyone present only to serve as a catalyst to bring down Telos in a mind melting origin story. The being who brought down the domes and forced everyone to fight, is just a guy that Brainiac twisted into his own version of prison warden. With Telos crippled, and Brainiac a non-threat, Deimos is nigh unstoppable. The Earth-2 heroes seem incapable of fighting, and Warlord, who barely appeared in the series, is quickly killed by Deimos. If the Convergence tie-in events give fans the chance to read one more story of their favorite characters, the death of Warlord at the hands of Deimos seems to wrap up the entire Warlord mythos and tells readers that the bad guy wins in the end, as Skartaris has no protector.
While Telos demanded cities fight to see who will live, power mad Deimos now ells the cities they can live in peace if they only bow down to him. Though we are replacing one megalomaniac with another, the idea presented by the wizard is an interesting one. While punching and fighting is a superhero M.O., the chance to simply bow down and live creates a quandary heroes may not be able to pass up. While Jeff King may have surprised us with the new villain overlord, heroes who simply shrug their shoulders and live under the thumb of a terrorist doesn’t make a lot of sense. And unless there are three issues of “they all lived happily (if not oppressed) ever after” I expect a lot of punching, fighting, and the Earth-2 heroes being rewarded for their efforts.
There are so many characters popping up in this issue, that it seems natural for half of them to be taken out by the mid-issue turning point. Heroes are going to die, and it is more fitting for them to go out fighting in the same way Batman made The Ultimate Sacrifice to save Dick Grayson. The writing failed in this issue when Dick revealed Batman’s fate, causing the other members of the Justice Society to admit they have no idea how to plan a battle, thus relegating them to nothing more than dumb weapons. But then again, any hero power, and their ability to use those powers are in the hands of the writer, and perhaps that is Jeff King’s message to the reader in this issue – heroes are dumb weapons to be used and discarded, so don’t get too attached.
ADAM KUBERT ON ART
The great thing about Adam Kubert on art is that each panel is going to be packed with details that will amaze and astound you. Convergence #5 is no exception, as again and again panels seem even more crowded than they should be One quickly realizes, however, that it’s the details that make this issue so full of life. Whether it is a herd of triceratopses busting down walls, or Deimos taking out hero after hero (and villain after villain), I can’t stop marveling at how Mr. Kubert approaches the visual craft of storytelling.
BOTTOM LINE: LET’S SEE WHERE THIS GOES
Though I’m not overly impressed that one overlord has been replaced with a new one, I want to see how this series wraps up. This week’s tie-in issues have little to do with the main story, so readers may want stick with the spine book if you are at all interested to see if heroes come together to fight the new big bad. Though I am willing to admit I was a bit off on the direction of the story, many o of the themes and direction Convergence has been moving is still troubling. This issue has an interesting twist, and the art is fantastic, but I wonder if it may be too little too late at this point. Let’s all see where this goes together, shall we? Pick up Convergence #5, then share your thoughts.
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