It’s a sad day today. Usually when D4VE releases it’s a good day, but with this being the last issue it’s sad. I guess it’s bittersweet. Let’s start over. It’s a bittersweet day today. Usually when D4VE releases it’s a good day, but with this being the last issue… well I’m still sad. I’ve been reviewing a lot of final issues lately. Final in a series, final in an arc and I have to say that only a hand full of them have been good. Not once did I worry about D4VE’s ending though, should I have? Let’s find out.
No. I shouldn’t have. Sorry I couldn’t lead you on like that. The creators stick the landing big time!
I’m actually not going to tell you shit about this issue. It’s the conclusion. Anything I say will spoil something or everything and I don’t want that. I’m just going to tell you in general terms what this series has been about. I’ve focused on the humor of the series a lot and I’ll do that still, but I didn’t want it to be my focus this time around.
If it wasn’t obvious, D4VE is a story about a man trying to find his place in the world or at the very least his identity. It’s something everyone can relate to because it’s part of the human condition. I know that’s strange to say about a story that’s about robots that have killed us and taken over 3arth, but as I’ve said from the first issue there’s a reason they’re robots. There are different nuances to their design, but nothing that would make you say that looks like this type of person or whatnot. The reason being is that the reader can then paint themselves onto the characters. They can imagine their friends and family as the other characters and in doing this writer Ryan Ferrier has made it so that this story resonates with the reader without them really knowing why.
It’s also a story about a father and his son, which I would never have guessed with the first issue. Last issue it started to become apparent, but it’s obvious for many reasons in this final issue. 5cotty will always be my second favorite character. The reason being that without D4ve, 5cotty doesn’t work. They need each other in order for their banter to work and by the end of this issue you’ll see that they really do need each other like 54lly said in the very beginning.
The story crafted by the creators reminds me a lot of the anime I watch. Most anime has a conclusion. There’s a definitive ending to the story and if the creators do it right then you’re left wanting more at the end, but there isn’t any more to be had. That’s exactly what D4VE has done. I would love for more stories from this universe, but the creators don’t have one to tell; at least not at the moment. To continue it would cheapen the experience of this story and so I’m glad that they’re leaving it here. They sucked me in and made me care about this world and love these characters and I’m grateful because that’s exactly what I want from a great story.
Why Valentin Ramon hasn’t been picked up for another project already blows my mind. He’s my breakout talent of the year for sure and the lynchpin that made this series so incredible. I’m not down playing the story at all, but Ramon’s art makes you want to read this series. It grabs your attention instantly and holds it. After every issue I run through it again just to look at Ramon’s artwork. To soak in the details and emotion that he’s put into each panel and page. How many artists can make faceless robots look emotional? Just one for me and its Ramon. Whatever his next project is I hope it’s worthy of his talent. I hope it’s not Spider-Man or some shitty crossover special because it would break my heart.
I could just go into my ending, but I have to talk about some of the jokes. The Big Poppa D lines were hysterical and it made me realize how much this series has made me actually laugh out loud. It’s become part of our culture to say we laughed at something when it didn’t actually evoke us to physically laugh. With D4VE I physically laugh out loud each issue. When “butthorn” is used I chuckle, when D4ve changes the diner menu I again laugh out loud. There are funny damn issues, but this series takes the cake.
This creative team gives me hope for the comic industry in general. D4VE has been the perfect balance of writing and art and goes to show that if you’re unwilling to sacrifice one for the other, then you’ll produce something fantastic. My goal as a comic reader is to only read things that are of D4VE caliber, but then I don’t think I’d be reading too many comics. But D4VE gives me the hope that one day I will.
Now make some posters for covers already!
Score: 10/5 (not a typo)
Writer/Letterer: Ryan Ferrier Artist: Valentin Ramon Publisher: MonkeyBrain Comics Price: $0.99 Release Date: 6/4/14 Format: Mini-Series, Digital