Written by Steve Orlando
Illustrated by Travel Foreman
Published by DC Comics
“For thousands of years I have been the Strong Force, an atomic formula for a peace that stretches light-lifetimes… You four threaten that peace for something as meaningless as honor… as one life! And for that? You reap the Firestorm!”
With the final issue of our series only a month away, it makes sense that things would really start to pull together in this fifth issue of Electric Warriors. And pull together it does with an enjoyable combination of action, a tightening of loose threads, and at least one big reveal.
I have to say, after last month’s issue, it’s gratifying to see that there was a bit more rhyme to the reasons behind plot choices that were beginning to seem both muddled and a little perplexing.
Gratifying too, that author Steve Orlando didn’t waste any time getting to the business of clearing everything up.
Inceptor’s death last issue, was both heroic and tragic. The indecisiveness and inaction of our band of wanna-be revolutionaries, led to an outcome that definitely cuts against the grain in a super-hero book.
Not that this is a normal super-hero book however. In a series that is built upon the premise that the heroes of a thousand intergalactic worlds are as likely as not to die during combat on the great Wargrounds of Covenant, it probably shouldn’t be surprising that a certain number of our cast would not survive the series.
Thankfully with the events of this issue, Inceptor’s death ends up feeling far from pointless.
The immediate effect is that it galvanizes our renegade squad of Electric Warriors to do something. Not only that, it pushes War Cry, Ian Navarro, to take on the leadership role, which, surprisingly, rings true, despite all his previous edges and faults.
Orlando has had to deal with a lot of necessary character development in this series in far too short a time to do it proper justice, but it’s notable that when the time comes, he’s laid down just enough of what is necessary, to make it believable when the four remaining members of our team make the fateful decision to step up and speak truth to power.
Conveniently War Cry has just the right power set to do that well.
Unfortunately, Inceptor’s death has also provided the Lord Preceptor of Covenant with just the right material to prepare for our heroes and their little uprising.
Mostly.
What unfolds is an extremely enjoyable culmination of storytelling that finally forces Firestorm to enter the fray and get his hands dirty. Not that they aren’t already grossly so, from all he’s engineered.
Still Firestorm seems to have all the power he needs to prevent things from getting out of control, as well as a surprise ace up his sleeve that looks to all-but ensure his victory over War Cry and his ragtag crew.
Lucky for us, Firestorm is apparently not as infallible – or invulnerable – as he believes.
Which leads to a moment that has got to be one of the coolest comics plot twists I’ve seen in a long time.
Kudos to Steve Orlando for orchestrating such an excellent, unexpected moment. And kudos to the artistic team of Travel Foreman, Javi Fernandez, Richard Friend on inks, and HiFi on colors, for finding a balance between line drawing and digital art, that this book has been reaching for from the start.
A worthy effort all around.
One that seems certain to come to a spectacular finish in just one short month.
Next Issue: The ties that bind
