Brutal Violence Juxtaposed by Eloquent Philosophy
David and friends battle Marantha, the incarnate wrath of God. We're properly introduced to our lead villain, Roland Finch.
The Good
Absolutely love this cover!!! I'm a big mythology buff so I like how Rozum/Frazer her designed Maranatha around the Nemean Lion. David armed with nothing but an axe running towards it with no reservations is just plain bad ass. This cover perfectly encapsulates the age old battle of man vs the primal.
There's a lot action this issue and Frazer really gets to cut loose. The battle between David and Maranatha is brutal, brutal, brutal. Thank God David can't die because this issue would've been over quickly. He takes a hellified beating that would even tax wolverine's healing factor and Frazer really makes it all hit home. There's one panel where Maranatha has just swiped off a piece of David's face that's truly disconcerting. And there's a superb full page spread that makes you wonder just how much can David take? I mean there has to be an upper limit right?
Despite the massive amounts of punishment Maranatha's dishing out David never surrenders, he refuses to stay down and keeps on coming with everything he has. This really, really endeared the guy to me and shocked the hell out of his opponent. Maranatha was absolutely god-smacked by his tenacity and so was I. There's not a lot of dialog during their fight, but there's some great insight provided via an omniscient narrator that underscores the fight.
Rozum does a stellar job on providing exposition on Roland Finch and his motivations for his actions during the battle and through quick flashbacks. I really, really think I'm going to like this guy...a lot. Finch's narcissistic, sociopathic, utterly amoral, conniving, and lethally intelligent. My favorite kind of villains are thinking villains. Roland Finch is a master manipulator who psychologically manipulates his victims and leads them down the path he's predestined for them. Said path often resulting in their grizzly deaths. This guy's one half Lex Luthor one half JIgsaw and all bad news. I can't wait to see what his end game is.
I love the dynamic between all the characters in this book, especially between Julian and Rabbi Sinnowitz. Their panels during the car ride to the battle were brief but very satisfying. I really love the sense of humor Rozum injects into this series.
I love when the supporting cast of a comic are useful and not just set pieces. Catholic Girl, None the Lesser, None of the Above, Rabbi Sinnowitz and Julian are all perfectly capable of handling themselves. In fact, it's not a stretch to say that they're all much more capable and better equipped to do so than David. Julian has a particular moment of utter badassery when he steps up to Maranatha and informs him that he's now lost. He faces down a giant, flaming lion made of living rage and does so with a nonchalance that would make John Constantine proud.
One of the side affects of Maranatha's presence is that it allows the spirits of the dead to briefly crossover into our plane of reality. During Julian and the other's battle against the beast there's some superb monologuing/dialog with David by a spirit about the nature of existence and the value of life. It really shows the versatile range of Rozum's writing ability and just may be my favorite thing about this issue.
The Bad
That stupid Lantern movie add and that pesky Super 8 ad/mini comic in the middle of the issue.
The Verdict
BUY THIS COMIC!!! READ THIS SERIES!!!
This comic manages to hit so many notes, so sweetly that I had to read it multiple times to make sure that was real and not some sort of really intense mirage. In this issue Rozum gives us action, comedy, and philosophy and all it fits together naturally. I've recently become jaded with the generally stale and formulaic state of mainstream comics. The Big Two have all but made me lose interest in them. I applaud DC taking a risk on unique works like Xombi and Nick Spencer's T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents. I'm telling you all now, John Rozum is crafting a classic here. Xombi represents what I dream of seeing throughout the entire market one day; Indy creativity backed by a major distributing machine. But in order for that to occur we as fans must support titles like this that are taking a risk by flying in the face of convention while also being high quality works.
