Andi Watson points out just how silly the super-hero genre can be while also spotlighting just how much fun it is as well. That approach is mirrored in the relationship side of the series here too, as Watson points out how pig-headed guys can be and actually that pig-headedness can be a bit endearing at the same time. The latter plotline also makes for an interesting contrast and balance for the afore-mentioned super-hero stuff. This issue seems to be all about dichotomies, actually, and it's part of what makes this book so unique and enjoyable. Of course, also adding to the strength of the issue, as always, is Watson's artwork. The artist manages to convey so much information employing so little in the way of line art and some unconventional panel layouts and progressions.
Jack has discovered that Future Feline, AKA his pet cat Guthrie, has established an underground headquarters under his apartment, and he seeks out Nora. He has to get word to the Flamer that Future Feline is in cahoots with the mysterious villain(s) who have plagued the super-hero's life as of late, and as far as Jack knows, Nora can get a message to the costumed champion. The pair stakes out the entrance to the lair, waiting for the Flamer to show up, and in the meantime, they sort out where they went wrong in their burgeoning and failed relationship.
A lot of pages here are dense ones, packed with panels, information and art. But the book never seems cramped either. The high number of panels helps to keep the plot moving along at a brisk pace, adding an urgency to the story and reinforcing the sense that Watson is building to a climax here. There's no denying the visual crescendo. I also love the full-page splashes of Future Feline's Cat-Cave. Watson uses simple linework to create a surprising depth and texture to the subterranean landscape.
The strongest scenes in the book are the ones in which Jack and Nora finally get to talk about where they both went awry, and ultimately, it all came down to trust. There's a maturity that dominates the scene, though. I love that Nora has tempered her ambition with a realization that success doesn't lead to satisfaction, and Jack's awareness that he dealt with his self-esteem issues poorly is something to which I think we can all relate.
Watson pokes fun at the corniness of conventions of the super-hero genre and the inherent goofiness of it all thorugh Jack and Nora. The characters have been transformed as people whose lives were defined by the actions of super-heroes to those who see themselves as being on the same level as them, if not higher. Jack and Nora have gone from seeing themselves as small to seeing the importance of their own lives and feelings. There's still a love of the super-hero conflict here as well, though, and the colorful nature of the surreal worlds in which they exist.
