The mad super-scientists of Edison’s Radical Acquisitions are BACK! Well…the ones who aren’t dead, anyway. (Or the ones who were dead and…uh, came back?) WHO?! is the mysterious new leader calling the shots? And HOW?! will Quantum and Woody survive a second fight against the 1980s robots, mad vivisectionists, and evil astronomers who almost offed them the first time?!

After getting arrested last issue for his part in the Smithsonian robbery, Woody tries to cut a deal for himself by talking about the E.R.A., whom he and Eric last fought with and mostly destroyed back in issue #5. Detective Cejudo tries to convince her clone-sister Sixty Nine that Woody cheated on her with Jacklean. But Sixty Nine wants to hear it for herself, so she vists Woody in prison and asks him face to face. We get a full page with some surprisingly heartfelt dialog from Woody as he explains why he tries relationships the way he does (hint: childhood abandonment issues), and Sixty Nine breaks up with him and leaves. Right at that point the three men that were in the giant robot suits in issue #9 bust into the prison to capture Woody, wearing new and improved robot suits that they were given from the E.R.A.

A lot of mayhem happens and it ends with Detective Cejudo, who earlier rejected Johnny 1’s offer to come back to the E.R.A., getting arrested for being an accomplice to Woody, and both Eric and Woody being held captive by the E.R.A., now being run directly by Thomas Edison himself, who has been revived and is in some hideous cyborg/animal body. He makes an offer to cure Eric and Woody of their powers, and their need to clang their bracelets together every 24 hours to survive, and to save their father, who we learned in the special issue #0, is actually trapped in the body of the Goat!

The most disturbing thing about this is that the solicitations for the next issue are calling it “The Finale.” Is that it? Is this series coming to and end?!? That would be a tragedy, as I’m enjoying it immensely! James Asmus has been doing a superb job writing every issue. The art on this issue is handled by Wilfredo Torres and Erica Henderson, who likewise do a good job. Anyone who hasn’t been buying this series is missing out on a great book!

Chacebook rating: Four Stars

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