Stanford and the other cadets are the world’s last line of defense! Your Major Spoilers review of Mech Cadet Yu #12 awaits!
MECH CADET YU #12
Writer: Greg Pak
Artist: Takeshi Miyazawa
Colorist: Raul Angulo
Letterer: Simon Bowland
Editor: Cameron Chittock
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: September 12, 2018
Previously in Mech Cadet Yu: THE SHARG HAVE LANDED!
SOMETIMES THERE’S NO OTHER WAY
The alien Sharg attack is well underway, and the end of the world is nigh, unless Stanford Yu and Olivia Park can power up the Suprarobo. The problem is, to do so, they have to sacrifice their own alien mechs power sources, which would kill the mysterious robot folk outright. Just as they’re ready to do it, though, Cadets Olivetti and Sanchez arrive with another option. By plugging all their mechs into the Suprarobo, they manage to provide enough power without anyone dying. Or at least without EVERYONE dying, as Olivia’s mech, Hero Force, is overcome by the energies and blows up, but the Suprarobo scoops her up just before she might die, allowing Olivia to pilot the secret weapon against The Sharg. Several massive explosions later, Olivia has destroyed the alien attack nearly single-handedly, while the other Mech Cadets provide support and protect the innocents. When she returns to Earth, though, General Felix has a shocking order: “Detain and disable those mechs!”
AND SOMETIMES THERE IS
The resolution of this story is really satisfying, especially the part that comes AFTER The General’s order and the final pages, as Stanford and his Ma find his fallen father’s grave. The final few panels also provide a perfect bit of closure for Stanford and Olivia’s rivalry, and a really sweet moment for Mama Yu. Visually, this issue is as slam-bang as it gets, with some real drama conveyed not only by big explosions, but by the characters facial expressions and body language. (The moment where Hero Force sacrifices itself is really touching, even though the character doesn’t have what one would traditionally call a face. That’s impressive work.) I also love the moment where Suprarobo bursts into action, and the design of the robot is really cool.
BOTTOM LINE: A REALLY SATISFYING END-POINT
It might seem easy to craft a slam-bang ending, but this issue is a really impressive effort, providing not only the big action sequence that caps off the “war with aliens” arc, but the emotional resolution for Stanford’s relationship with his mother, the loss of his dad and his interactions with his Robo. Mech Cadet Yu #12 brings all elements of the story to a perfect close, with really well-executed art throughout and a final page that is sweet, inspiring and touching all at once, earning a dead-solid 5 out of 5 stars overall. This is that rare comic book series that I actually hope to see become a movie or TV series, just to see it all play out in live-action…
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