Alright, another late review, but here we go. It’s tricky because I don’t want to say too much in case you’ve been reading these reviews and, for whatever reason, haven’t decided to check out this series yet. Perhaps you’ve been waiting for it to conclude so you can get it all at once? If so, this issue is advertised as “the end of the first story arc,” which could indicate that it’s meant to continue at some point, but this is a pretty conclusive ending to Michelle Metcalf’s story, so now would be the time to get on board.

The previous issue concluded where, after a brutal fight with her superhero teammates, Michelle was left powerless. But Skelton, the man responsible for killing her husband, is still alive and free. This issue picks up two months later, Michelle has managed to go into hiding, living with her in-laws. Her son Ian is safe and mostly healthy, and her in-laws are begging her to just let her vendetta go and stay to raise Ian and move on. But she just can’t do it. Loading up on weapons, she returns for a final assault on Skelton’s headquarters, determined to kill him at all costs.

What I really enjoy about this issue, and this series thus far in general, is that writer Marc Guggenheim doesn’t shy away from exploring the kind of trauma that violence can inflict on a person and how it affects them. We can see that Michelle is struggling, especially when she tells her son that she’s leaving. She’s willing to risk her son growing up without both parents because her need for vengeance is too strong. There’s also a really chilling panel where, in the midst of a particularly violent sequence, Michelle finds herself thinking about how “fun” it is, then immediately worrying about what that thought says of her. This speaks to how easy it is to succumb to violence despite its consequences. It’s not often you get a superhero stories that makes you think about such matters, but this one does without being “preachy” about it. This is, first and foremost, an action story. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t single out the artwork of Justin Greenwood, who does an equally decent job drawing the dramatic pages as he does the action scenes.

There are a couple of plot twists at the end. Yes, there is room for further stories, but it provides a satisfying conclusion to the tale that began in issue one. If you want a thought-provoking superhero story with plenty of action, check out this series.

Chacebook rating: FIVE STARS

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