In Dead Body Road #6, Bree Hale’s day goes from bad to worse as the final confrontation with local crime boss Monk Sinclair threatens to destroy her life.  Can she save her brother’s life?  Find out in your next mighty Major Spoilers review!

DEAD BODY ROAD: BAD BLOOD #6

Writer:  Justin Jordan
Art: Benjamin Tiesma
Colorist: Mat Lopes
Letterer: Pat Brosseau
Editor: Jon Moisan
Publisher: Image Comics & Skybound
Price: $3.99
Release Date: December 2nd, 2020

Previously in Dead Body Road:  Bree Hale just wants to run her bar, deal with the bar flies, and have a few good drinks herself. But when her no good brother Hunter shows up with local hood Monk Sinclair gunning for him, an epic confrontation ensues as Bree attempts to save her brother’s life, with her former lover and lawman Marshall Dane riding shotgun…

RUN AND GUN

Dead Body Road #6 is as close to a cinematic experience in comic book for as you’re likely to get.  The culmination of the series, it ties up all loose ends in a bloody knot which will resonate in the lives of the characters, and readers, for quite a while.

There’s some dialog in Dead Body Road #6, but it’s almost perfunctory given the bulk of the issue is given over to the final confrontation between Bree and Sinclair.  Still, despite a lack of words, there’s a story inherent within the images, as the impeccability of Bree and Sinclair is demonstrated in their unsparing willingness to inflict as much damage on the other, while tolerating almost inhuman amounts of damage to themselves.

In his afterword, writer Justin Jordan talks about how the series is an anti-revenge tale, how Bree’s brother, despite all her efforts, probably does deserve to die.  It’s an interesting take on an old trope, and it certainly provides a lot of the power and grit to this final issue.

KILLING HIM SOFTLY

The real heroes of this issue are artist Benjamin Tiesma and colorist Matt Lopes.  In bringing Jordan’s script to life, Tiesma has adopted all the kinetic energy of a Hollywood action blockbuster.  Cars roar and gunshots explode, people beat each other to a pulp and buildings collapse on protagonists.  Such is the realism Tiesma and Lopes bring to the page, you tend to ride every bump, wince at every gunshot and break into a cold sweat as Bree’s brother, Hunter, begs for his life amidst the wreckage of the cabin they have sought refuge in.

Tiesma brings a realism to his environment and characters that helps underpin the impact of the violence.  While the violence does tend to reach levels of ludicrousness – people are struck by cars and yet get up, gunshots leave palpable damage even as the characters fight on – it also serves to demonstrate the commitment of Bree to save her brother, and Monk, to gain his revenge.

The ending to Dead Body Road #6 will no doubt provoke some controversy, but it does live up to Jordan’s afterword about the series not being about revenge as we usually see it in popular media.  In a sense, Dead Body Road #6 demonstrates the essential nihilism of revenge – if personal tragedy has motivated you to the point of seeking the personal destruction of the cause of your hatred, no amount of blood spilling will salve the wound inflicted upon you.  Monk is an engine of destruction, who serves only one desire.  Achieving what he set out to do won’t bring back the person he loved who Hunter killed.  Dead Body Road #6 is all about death for death’s sake.

BOTTOM LINE: ACTION THRILLER

Dead Body Road #6 is a kinetic action thriller with two dueling protagonists who will go to their limits, and beyond, to achieve their personal goals.  There’s a lot to chew on in this issue, in between all the action and killing, but there’s also an empty sense to it as well.  Despite all the sound and fury, was any of it worthwhile, for readers and characters alike?

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Dead Body Road #6

77%

77%

An Action Thriller

A fitting conclusion to a series built on notions of love and revenge. Dead Body Road #6 brings a cinematic touch to comics, with a kill or be killed vibe that soaks the issue in blood. Not for everyone, but clearly a property that has a big budget Hollywood action thriller all over it.

• Writing

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• Art

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• Coloring

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