ClanDestine #5

Final issue!

Gotta hand it to Alan Davis, he's done a super fun series. Every issue has been a blast with great art and solid writing. It hasn't been perfect, and unfortunately this issue was sadly rushed. Damn, I hate to say it but this was probably not the best issue of the series. The climax was good, but I think they could have done a little more, maybe an extra sized issue. I'd say maybe a sixth issue, but there's just not enough to call for an entire issue. And let me get the problems out of the way. First, the whole bit with Excalibur and Dom (and then the Twins and Newton) on trapped on an alternate Earth was wrapped up far too quickly. I'd hate to say it, but the resolution is pretty pointless and basically happens off panel. The villain on this alternate Earth was an Inhuman Adam and his son Albert had encountered in the 1300s in Tibet and was killed. On this Earth, he was alive and near death and, spoiler here, ends up dying off panel. We think we're about to get a knock down, drag out fight and then we see the heroes standing around going, "Hey, he died, well isn't that somethin." Yeah, that fight would have been nice.

The climax was...well, it was good but could have been better as well. Again, wrapped up way too cleanly. Good, cause the stuff Adam has been dealing with flows into it, but bad cause all the other characters have been dealing with the major consequences up until this point. Basically, it can be summed up as Daddy cleans up his kids' shit. He does it very well, though.

So what was good? Well, the issue was basically about Adam. He's been transported to where his wife, the Djinn, is residing and while fighting his way towards her he basically has to man up to all his shit. Adam is an immortal and invulnerable, so since he can't be hurt he's got this constant disconnect to everything. He's detached from his family and himself. He kinda wanders around bleary eyed (which is why in his debut in the original series he was found by the Silver Surfer in deep space). So basically Adam gets his shit together, gets back with his woman, comes home and lays the smackdown. That was pretty cool. Also, the Twins reaction to seeing their mother for the first time was nice. Unfortunately, none of their questions are answered because Adam takes off, again, with his wife but it was a very sweet and simple moment.

There is, also, a promise at the end for more stories with these characters. Hopefully we won't be waiting another decade, though.

The art is, naturally, stellar. Davis draws the best looking characters, the best fight scenes...you really could just fall in to the page. I could look at these pages forever.

Now I'm still gonna say this series was excellent. This issue wasn't the best, but taken together with the whole series it was a great ride. Alan Davis loves his comics, he loves these characters and it clearly shows. It feels like a more classically done comic, which is what I enjoy. So many comics these days are aimed squarely at more adult audiences and take themselves way too seriously. This book has crazy characters, big adventure, well drawn...it's the kind of thing that got me into comics. Anti-climaxes aside, I'd recommend picking up the hardcover coming out in...August? It's well worth it.