By Dustin Cabeal

The Wild Storm always feels as if it’s going to a commercial break when the issue ends. I sit there just expecting more, realizing eventually that another month will need to pass in order for that to happen. Granted this all happens in seconds while I’m reading, but it still happens. I have the strong feeling that when The Wild Storm is collected, it’s going to be a tremendous continuous read, one that I will look forward to digesting again.

This issue sets the stage for the spinoff starring Michael Cray. He is the focus of the issue in a way as he starts the issue, hits twice in the middle and then has the closing sequence which was brilliantly shown from his perspective. It was a realistic flashback because it put us in Michael’s shoes and we walked 1,000 miles with him. It told us everything about him in single panels that jumped forward in time highlighting his entire life. It was a sharp sequence that will likely be labeled “just a flashback” by most people.

There are more reveals in this issue which are juicy enough not to be discussed in a review. More WildStorm pieces bleed into this storyline. God, I hope you saw what I did there… Anyway, there’s more is my point and it continues to help lay this foundation that Warren Ellis is meticulously crafting. I will say that the one-page Voodoo spread didn’t ring any bells with me, but I’m sure we’ll get to something that makes it all click together.

Ellis’ writing is very sharp on this series. I haven’t read all of his Image titles lately, but with his creator-owned titles, it’s as if he’s flexing muscles and challenging himself as a writer. With The Wild Storm, it’s as if he’s a kid in a toy store and just going nuts, but his version of “nuts” is a well-plotted and meticulously planned story that engulfs everything the old WildStorm ever introduced.

At this point, if you’re reading The Wild Storm you should be a big fan of Jon Davis-Hunt and Steve Buccellato’s work on this series. They’re by far the best art team in comics at the moment and while I don’t have a particular page that I can point to and say, “Holy fuck, that’s realistic looking water” I would remind you of the amazing flashback sequence that I already spoke about early in the review. The consistency of the artwork is what makes this story work. If it were like other series currently running in comics, this would be split up between a couple of artists that would handle different character parts, and it would feel pieced together. Which wouldn’t give the universe a cohesive feel and would likely water down the story. Thankfully, that’s not the case, and I’m really hard-pressed to find a better team in comics at the moment.

At this point, if you haven’t checked out The Wild Storm you’re only cheating yourself out of a great comic book. Month in and month out this remains one of the top DC titles and one of the top titles in comics. I say that as someone that only has one other “big two” title on his list, and that’s Deathstroke. You might want to just wait for the trade of the first volume if you’re not willing to track down or digitally buy the series thus far. I would recommend getting it sooner than later, but no one listens to me so whatever. The point is, but the fucking book already.

Score: 5/5

The Wild Storm #5
Writer: Warren Ellis
Artist: Jon Davis-Hunt
Colorist: Steve Buccellato
Letterer: Simon Bowland
Publisher: DC Comics