Like the soap operas which are part of its inspiration, Noble Causes has gotten by on some big surprise cliffhangers and revelations, but this issue the revelations have been foreshadowed pretty heavily, and so the creators instead have to fall back on their other storytelling elements. Which, fortunately, are many and varied, from the interesting psychological outlook of the villain to the strong action storytelling of Gleason and Wycough to the closure of Liz's first story arc as a member of the family. This is the final issue of the first Noble Causes mini-series, but I will definitely be back for Family Secrets when it is released in October.
Anybody can write a scene where the villain captures the heroes and gloats, but it takes skill to make such a scene creepy and a little frightening. Faerber has shown a willingness to kill off major characters, and that helps add to the tension, but what really makes this issue work is the menacing air that he gives his villain. The cold and emotionless logic that drives the villain makes him frightening, because his goals aren't simply evil. He really believes he's doing what's right, and that any pain he causes is for a good end.
While the identity of the villain wasn't a big surprise, there were still some surprises offered up this issue. I was certainly surprised by the identity of Liz and Doc Noble's rescuer, and surprised at how sympathetic Faerber turned this "guy you love to hate." And the action between the villain and the rescuer was terrific, some of the best storytelling that Gleason has had so far. In fact, all of the scenes in the villain's lab were well done, whether it was the necessary air of menace, the super-hero action or the creepy return of an unexpected face.
This is also the issue where the lead story stands out as less cramped than the rest, which made me able to more fully appreciate the back-up story. Clauretie and Hacker's work isn't quite as strong on people as Gleason's was, but the mechanical elements of the artwork are terrific, and that makes them an ideal choice for this backup. The same menacing feel that came across in the lead story is prevalent here as well, and Faerber does a good job of expanding on the villain's motivations, such that I felt the same pity that Liz feels for him.
Though this is the end of the first Noble Causes mini-series, there are plenty of reasons to come back. The preview art by Ian Richardson looks very nice, the question of who is really the father of Zephyr's baby is intriguing, but most of all, I want to see what happens next with Liz. From the start, she has been our point-of-view character, and now that she has adjusted somewhat to being part of this family, I want to see what she sees now that she has been accepted and will be let in to their inner lives.
