Sunday, July 13, 2014

HARBINGER # 25 Review !!!

HARBINGER # 25
Written by Joshua Dysart, Justin Jordon,  Vivek Twary,  Dan Goldman & Lucy Knisley
Art by Lewis Larosa, Khari Evans, Clayton Henry, Lucy Knisley, Romulo Fajardo, Brian Reber, Dave Lanpher, Rafer Roberts & allen Passalaqua
Valiant Comics




This will be a spoiler free review
                We look back several times this issue as to what happened before with the origin of the Renegades, the team a car talking about Fan Fictions, sharing personal moments with Peter and Kris and how one of Harada’s inner circle came to be part of his group.
                The main event story is, however, is a look at a new status quo for Harada and that one snippet from Harbinger #21 comes back to haunt us now as things have changed … for everyone.

ART:

                Since this issue had a diverse amount of art, I am just going to run by things quickly. Rafer Roberts was entertaining in his own right with his cartoony style. LaRosa does some really nice, detailed work that is clean with help from Fajardo, Reber and Lanphear. Knisley has a great moment as well with some okay art there for her tale. Yet, Henry and Evans clearly steal the issue with their powerful, detailed art.  Evans and Henry, who have drawn the majority of the Harbinger issues, give some of their best work this issue with great perspectives and detail. Overall, the art was from okay to excellent.




WRITING:
                This issue packed an emotional wallop that would not be denied. From the change status quos, to memories of characters long gone, to knowing that the group of people we have come to know will not be together again the same way  … ever. Jordon’s story brought much needed levity and a great sense of nostalgia of our heroes on the road. Knisley showed us the heart of our girl, Faith. Twary and Goldman gave us some powerful memories of a character who has been long dead but still in the minds of two of our main characters. Each of those stories were good, solid and ran their course.

                Yet, Dysart writes his masterpiece finale for this first chapter. Yep. It says in the end of the main story of the issue “End of Chapter 1.” If all of this was chapter one, all I can say is that I am looking forward to chapter 2 and onward. This issue gave a terrific climax to all that had occurred before as well as gave us new plots for things to come while sending off our original team. It is over. The Renegades as we knew them are done … gone possibly forever.  It was a send off that was heartfelt and Dysart grabbed every last one of our emotions this issue … both the characters and the readers. We got some significant development for our main cast as we say goodbye to the rest of our crew … leaving only two left.  And Harada and Stronghold both get significant characterizations as the status quo had changed. Dysart crafts these changes well, making them grandiose and impactful. The pacing was perfect and the overall weight of everything as palpable. Everything Dysart has written in Harbinger has worked up to this … and it was the end … the end of the beginning it seems. Like graduating college, it was time to move to the next phase and Dysart captures that feeling with this issue completely. The dialogue was rich and the overall construction of the story was perfect. THIS is comic book writing at its best and I will claim this as Dysart’s greatest work in comics ever … till he tops it.


FINAL VERDICT:

                This was a great celebration of what Harbinger was, is and will be. The stories were entertaining, powerful and full of a cascade of emotion. The art was good to excellent. This issue excelled at giving fans a great look into Harbinger and its evolution. Dysart continues his prolific work with a great end … to chapter one.  Yet, all Harbinger fans should buy and read this book. It really is comics at its best. Harbinger # 25 gets a 4.5 … out of 5.  

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