DEADMAN: DEAD AGAIN #5
"Deadline"
Neutral (3/10)
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DC Comics
Writer: Steve Vance
Pencils: Leonard Kirk
Inks: Rick Burchett
Colors: Tom McCraw & Digital Chameleon
Letters: Kurt Hathaway
Editors: Andrew Helfer & Mike McAvennie
Price: $2.50 US/$4.25 CAN |
The real reason for this limited series and all of the exposition regarding the title character's past comes to light. Vance establishes a new status quo for the character, a new purpose, setting up a new Deadman series. We even get a glimpse of the cover of the first issue in the back of this issue. While the set-up for the ongoing series has piqued my interest, Dead Again remains a clunker of a story, and the conclusion is quite confusing as well.
Deadman learns the true identity of the mysterious voice that's been guiding him in the battle against Caldera and Neron, and he discovers that the conflict stems from a time paradox. The realization prompts him -- with the assistance of his friend and diminutive detective, Loomis -- to stop Caldera's scheme even before it begins.
Kirk's style is a bit more recognizable here, but still, he and Burchett do not mesh well as an art team. It's a shame; both are strong artists in their own right (I quite enjoyed Kirk's pencils on this week's Supergirl #61, for example). The colors are a bit dull as well. McCraw doesn't really capture a dark tone, as would be appropriate for a supernatural story, nor does he opt to go with a more brightly colored super-hero scheme. Everything seems rather muted.
I suppose the biggest problem from the start of this series was that the plot held little suspense for me. There was no way that I'd believe the souls of some of DC's best-loved dead characters would be lost to an evil witch doctor and his demonic master. Yes, I know the good guys always win in these scenarios (99.9 per cent of the time, anyway), but still, writers find ways to make the story suspenseful. I just didn't care how the resolution would come to pass in this case.
Throwing Loomis into the mix was a smart choice, and not just because it provides a link to the upcoming regular series. Given his... lacking stature, one can't help but cheer Loomis on, but it's more than that. He's clever here; by teaming with his unseen ally, he creates the illusion that he has mystical powers, and it made for a hilarious fight scene. I suppose Loomis is the main reason that I'm actually looking forward to checking out the Deadman series, despite my complete and utter disinterest in Dead Again.
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