Wildstorm occasional pumps out these anthology one-shots from time to time, and like previous efforts, this collection of super-hero stories makes the most of the looser content restrictions governing the imprint. There's some solid satire to be found here and a couple of mad, entertaining ideas. Only one of the four stories here is weak and treats the slacker content restrictions gratuitously, but overall, the higher price tag for what are entertaining but essentially inconsequential little stories seems a tad much to ask of readers, save for completists.
Zealot reflects back on a sacrifice she made in order to stay true to her warrior's soul, and how she rejected a basic belief upon which her entire alien society was based in order to do so. An idea so dark and devastating has made its way into the Authority's universe, and Apollo and the Midnighter must team up with their counterparts from another reality in order to end its bloody advance through the multiverse. Jack Hawksmoor chases a villainous artist through multiple realities until he finds himself in the one place in which he has no power. And Deathblow faces a difficult choice between duty and justice, and a South American jungle mummy points him in the right direction.
Middleton goes to town with the nudity in the opening Zealot story, but most of the skin really doesn't add to the story at all. Actually, the only visual component of this story that works for me is the soft and airy look of the colors. The Zealot script is the weakest of the lot. Clearly, we're meant to know who the spunky, blonde hostage is, but Jones never bothers to tell us. His attempt to foster an exotic tone in Kheran culture falls flat. Instead, they come off as cold and haughty.
Will Pfeifer offers up his commentary on how New York has changed as a result of the financial influence of Disney and other corporate concerns. The scrip lacks subtlety, but it's fun all the same. Peyer's Apollo/Midnighter story also delivers a satirical punch to Hollywood, but the story doesn't seem to know if it's serious in tone or goofy. It lacks focus as well. At first, it's a clever tale about the incredible power of thought. Then, it's about the creative vacuum that is the entertainment industry, but later, it's a story about the main characters' relationship.
Nord's ghostly, Gene Colan-esque art is quite impressive, though it doesn't fit well with the satirical tone of some aspects of the script. And Iwahashi's art, reminiscent of Tony Harris's and Dusty Abell's styles, lacks a certain degree of clarity. Furthermore, the psychedelic color scheme, which reminds me of work from the 1960s Spider-Man cartoon, washes out the characters a bit too much.
The Deathblow story is perhaps the most straightforward of the bunch, and I enjoyed the mix of hard-nosed, military drama and the supernatural ghost story. Despite the story's slightly predictable tone and the disparate qualities of the plot elements, Warner's script works incredibly well. This short story represents the finest work Carlos D'Anda has put forth so far in his career. He captures both the grit of the main character and the eerie atmosphere in which he finds himself. D'Anda's work jus keeps getting better and better, and the folks at DC/Wildstorm are wisely grooming him to become one of their top talents. 6/10
