Sundowners‘ debut story arc is winding down and a war is coming to the streets of Chicago. The Illuminated set the stage for their uprising and the Sundowners come together to make their stand. So is it good?
Sundowners #5 (Dark Horse Comics)
Since the second issue, the Sundowner members have gone their separate ways which allowed Seeley to independently develop their characters and delve into their backstories. This issue serendipitously brings all the members back together as well as briefly highlights the Illuminatrix and the development of her plan. A lot happens in this issue so it feels a lot longer than twenty-two pages and there’s a constant sense of urgency that gives you that adrenaline rush while reading it. Seeley has created some great characters and the comic is so much more enjoyable when you get to see them all interact together.
One of the best features of this issue is the fact that it provides more answers, or at least affirmations, than it does questions. Here are just some of the comics topics that this issue clarifies:
- The true nature and intent of the Illuminatrix
- The condition of Crowlita
- Dr. Shrejic’s stance on the team’s sanity
- The significance of Crowlita’s vision
- Karl Volf’s backstory
In addition to all this information, the Sundowners gain a new member of their team which is Dr. Shrejic AKA Dr. Shreds. His costume is awesome and really correlates with the theme of classic theatric superheroes. Similar to other issues, the characters reference comic book hero archetypes which they hold as a standard for their own lives. It’s these clever references and stark contrasts between the characters’ actions and struggles and their ideals that make Sundowners such an effective mystery-horror-satire. It’s hard to put this comic into a category, but whatever it is, it’s all coming together nicely.
Is It Good
This is an all-around well written comic. This issue helps focus all of the chaos of the series and provide a calm before the impending storm. It has its humorous moments, provides well-needed clarity, continues the classic superhero theme, and creates an almost tangible sense of tension. The comic is passing as both a superficially comical and entertaining read as well a surprisingly profound book that deals with underlying concepts such contrasting definitions of vision and treatment of the “mentally ill” (Because the jury is still on whether or not the Sundowners are actually certifiable).
Seeley has definitely raised the standard of this comic and can hopefully sustain it as the Sundowners and the Illuminated surely face off in next month’s issue.
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