I notice that Marvel eventually opted to drop the Marvel Next label from this book. It's a smart move, as this is a much darker, more mature story than it seemed to be when the series began. Originally, it was about a group of teen robots righting wrongs, having fun and defying authority. But that's not really what the story was about in the end. This isn't about triumph in the face of adversity and impossible odds. No, the story is actually a tragedy, but the tragedy isn't the destruction of the Livewires. It's over the loss of innocence, and Warren manages to tell this tale with tenderness, with plenty of action and with a healthy dose of creepy horror elements as well. This limited series is probably one of the best-kept secrets in mainstream comics right now, and the inevitable collected edition merits a lot of attention.
Stem Cell faces an impossible task: the destruction of the hivemind Nick Fury androids and their flying fortress, not to mention the rescue of what's left of her Project Livewire teammates. Her current programming limits her abilities, but by removing key elements and hardware, she's able to exceed that programming. In other words, Stem Cell goes badass, casting off her scared, innocent personality. Before confronting the hiveminds, she prepares a few surprises for them.
Both Mays and Warren contribute pencilled line art to this issue, but the good news is that their styles are so similar that there's no jarring shift in the visual component of the storytelling. I love the completely alien designs for the fiery monsters that turn up in the story, but the most striking aspect of the art is the combination of what appears to be a vulnerable youth and the horrific things she does to herself and is capable of later in the story. Stem Cell boasts a thoroughly creepy look in the second act of the issue, but there's still a hint of the child-like exterior. The contrast is unsettling and symbolic of the core conflict that arise in this concluding chapter.
The action throughout the issue is captivating, but what impresses me more is the thoroughly plausible-sounding science speak employed in the dialogue the impossible sci-fi feats that the heroine of the story pulls off. Warren's dialogue style reminds me a fair bit of Warren Ellis's, though it doesn't come off nearly as harsh or angry. And that's in keeping with the innocent side of the title characters.
To save her friends and the day, Stem Cell literally strips away who she is -- the timidity, the cuteness, her humanity -- but in the end, it turns out that was all a mask. The big reveal at the end of the issue is wonderfully chilling, and though it's a surprise twist, it's perfectly logical. I love the darkness that envelops the book in the end. The heroes win, but we learn how much they've sacrificed and what their true nature is, so the victory hardly seems worth it. 9/10
