Written by Cecil Castellucci
Illustrated by Marley Zarcone
Published by DC Comics
I loved this series. I’m so sad to see it go.
Hopefully Castellucci and Zarcone can be reunited on something soon. It hit all of the right notes and was just a memorable story. They really don’t get much better than this.
Everything Shade has done to this point is coming back to haunt her. The question for the issue is a very simple one.
Can someone change?
Castellucci does a great job answering that question and making the reader think.
The opening pages have Shade saying that the Cray are coming. They must be stopped. Yet, Shade doesn’t feel anything.
She has to gain some emotion and some feeling if she’s going to of use to anyone. Castellucci roots the story in emotion and makes it about self confidence and worth.
In a sense, this final issue feels much like a Steven Universe cartoon episode for adults.
Shade needs to also regain her heart. Literally this time. The issue focuses on both that and to see if her friends will stand by her in the end. There’s a lot of drama. A lot of twists. And it ends in a way I wasn’t expecting. But it totally makes sense and is fulfilling.
The last page is something special. A change does happen. And it’s deeply moving yet remains fun and full of possibilities. The art by Zarcone pulls the whole thing together. I just loved this series. I will read this whole thing again. It’s really a beautiful series. I will remember it for sure.
RATING: A
