Cave Carson has been a trippy sort of comic one would expect to see if they were on an acid trip or if Michael Avon Oeming and Jon Rivera made a comic! We check out the last issue in the first story arc (we think) and answer the question: Is it good?
Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye #6 (DC Comics)
So what’s it about? The official summary reads:
The end of the beginning is here! Cave Carson and company must battle through hordes of Fungus Beasts to prevent EBX from awakening the ancient being known as the Whisperer. With the fate of the world hanging in the balance, how can a spelunker, a vigilante and a college sophomore defeat an ancient evil? Don’t worry, because Cave Carson has a plan! Whether it’s a good plan remains to be seen…
Why does this book matter?
There’s a war going on underneath us, which is one of the charms of this series. Cave Carson captures that B-movie flavor of monsters living under the Earth and infuses the underground world with a great use of color, which defies expectations just like the story.
Fine, you have my attention. What’s good about it?
Cool use of color and light.
Rivera (with Gerard Way contributing to the story) delivers a satisfying climactic battle. Carson must rush to save a king, down a ton of drugs on the way there (how fitting) and with the help of his daughter and best bud blow a lot of holes in some messed up looking monsters. While the pace is fast and the action chaotic, Wild Dog gets a bit of time devoted to his character. As he trips out he sees his father in a giant monster, and relishes in delivering a bit of revenge upon the beast. In this same scene Oeming draws a face relishing the carnage drawn on his mask. It’s somewhat strange since it’s just a flat white mask in the rest of the book, but it’s a neat way to show the emotions of the character.
The art is what sets this book apart from any other and it’s a highlight of this issue. If you dig Oeming’s art, read Powers or just like insane monsters and a book that takes visual risks you need this in your life. The grotesque beasts Oeming puts in front of the heroes is freaky and they’re even moreso due to the cartoony and cel-shaded style. There’s a fantastic use transparency of the car to show its movement (like they do with Spider-Man) and how it attacks a giant monster in two different panels. Using Ben-day dots you get a wacky feel, but it helps convey the energy of the scene.
The backups by Tom Scioli are great fun, one continuing the Wonder Twins story (it ends in a weird way!) and another showcasing the main DC heroes and a war that’s coming. This war is with the reader themselves, which is a fun fourth wall breaking moment. Scioli’s art once again has an old school vibe complete with browned weathered paper.
Vaginal much?
It can’t be perfect can it?
This was a quick read in part due to all the action. The use of the villains left a bit to be desired, though there may be more next issue, sending them off in a sputter more giving the payoff less than it could have.
Is It Good?
Bottom line: This is the most visually arresting book on the shelf. Not only is it insane what they’re showing, but they’re taking chances in every single issue.
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