The action has been upped about tenfold during the killer crossover between the Project Black Sky titles. All of them have been working to come together to illicit a monster wrap to the first phase of this series of excellent Dark Horse titles. Captain Midnight has come to its penultimate issue. And if you thought that the action might ease up from last month, you would have been gravely mistaken. Picking up right where Issue #22 ended, we find Secret Squadron headquarters under full attack from the Archon and his band of Chosen. Midnight, Helios, and an Archon defector called the Mark are rushing back to save their friends from the onslaught that await them.
As for the Archon, he seems hell bent determined to find the alien technology that will complete his master plan in reshaping the globe in his image. Previous Midnight foes Fury Shark and Chuck Ramsey had worked to stop Archon, but their opposing ways rendered failure. It is now up to the good Captain to save the day, with friends of course, lots of friends.
This issue moves fast and the fireworks are spectacular. The battle sequences are massive with big splash pages interspersed with small boxes showing more personalized action. There is a whole lot going on and a whole lot of people at work, managed brilliantly by writer Joshua Williamson and new artist Miguel Sepulveda who is taking over the excellent work previously done by Manuel Garcia.
This issue is full of surprises. People die that you might not expect to die. There is a bombshell dropped by Helios that though not fully revealed, seems to bring some “whoa” factor. Then there are the fights. Damn the fights. They are intense and mind blowing. You just know that when the dust settles, there may not be a whole lot left. It might all be destroyed.
Unfortunately, that final battle has not yet played out. But the precursor to that battle provides some serious hype to when things will be completed in Issue #24. The hype is solid.
I have loved Joshua Williamson’s overall run on Captain Midnight. Through his writing, he has created a wonderful new look to a historically old character whose awesome story was lost to the end of World War II and history. Captain Midnight used to be one of the biggest things going back in the Golden Age of comics. Thanks to Williamson’s work, that glory has been returned as he has created a new mythos to a classic hero. I have loved every minute of it.
Issue #23 is no holds barred, providing a heavy dose of fisticuffs, exploding heads, and smashed up bodies. This fight is worth the price of admission and highlighted with the Mark’s battle with Archon as well as Helios’ additional pops into the fray. It is well done and briskly written with dialogue conveying the visual action at work.
To say that I was impressed with Miguel Sepulveda’s art would be a huge understatement. He adds the extreme to the mix making this graphic portrayal of battle something to be marveled. The detail is impressive. And as a reader, you need to look through this one twice to get a full understanding and enjoyment to all of the action being depicted.
I have no idea where Project Black Sky will go once Williamson’s 24 issues of Captain Midnight are completed. He has laid some impressive groundwork to a budding universe that I desire to read more of in the future. As issues should be, #24 promises to be the battle for the ages between Midnight and the Archon. One might not make it. Hell, neither might not make it. But know for certain that Williamson will ride it out to its bitter end.
Score: 4/5
Captain Midnight #23 Writer: Joshua Williamson Artist: Miguel Sepulveda Colorist: Javier Mena Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Price: $2.99 Release Date: 5/27/15 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital