I’ve been a big fan of this series thus far. That said, this issue to me really fails to deliver on what I’ve come to love from Clockwork Angels. I can only think of two memorable moments in the whole issue which I’ll get to. I just feel this issue was all filler and set-up. Although I trust what the creators have in mind especially this being a six-issue miniseries, this issue was jarring to read because I felt there was a lack of substance. The issue starts out with everyone thinking that Owen was the Anarchist, even though he saved everyone from him. Since everyone’s after Owen, he is bound and determined to get out of Crown City. He finds a boat about to leave the dock for Atlantis and Poseidon City. He gets off at Atlantis and is completely miserable there. People are extremely rough and tumble, they won’t give him money for work, and he has to steal to survive.

Meanwhile, the Anarchist sneaks in to the Watchmaker’s Alchemy College and sets fire to it. The Anarchist says “bad times” in reference to the time he spent here under the Watchmaker. He desperately wants to create instability to counteract the safety and comfort the Watchmaker has instilled upon his people. This is the first memorable part in the issue.

The second is when Owen gets caught stealing, a man named Commodore Pangloss saves him from being beaten unconscious and gives Owen a place to stay and work. Pangloss is a steamliner captain and Owen will work on it. They get the steamliner going and are off and leave Poseidon City.

If you’re going to buy this issue, buy it for the incredible art. Otherwise, I’d just wait until next month to pick it up again.

Score: 2/5

Writer: Kevin J. Anderson, Neal Peart Artist: Nick Robles Publisher: BOOM! Studios Price: $3.99 Release Date: 8/6/14 Format: Mini-Series; Print/Digital