Connect with us
The Wild Storm #15 Review

Comic Books

The Wild Storm #15 Review

The war between IO and Skywatch has started, and things get serious pretty quickly.

[amazon_link asins=’B07F217GTJ’ template=’AiPTProductAd’ store=’aiptcomics-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’94842f05-8a44-11e8-bec7-f7119107e998′]

I feel like I say it every time I review an issue of The Wild Storm, but this week – shit gets real. Lucy Blaze is on the run, we see more of Jack Hawksmoor than we probably wanted to and learned that Skywatch’s most devastating weapon may just be a little stick. That’s right Bendix, the lunatic that he is, doesn’t take too kindly to his crew being booted from terra firma, and decides to put IO on notice…by dropping foot-long diamond canes from deep orbit that strike the planet with the force of a small nuke. Yep, Stormwatch goes full on supervillain this time around, going so far as to obliterate a test site and threatening to essentially enslave all of humanity to prove a point. If there were any shade of gray remaining about the “both sides are wrong” debate here, however, it’s quickly stifled when IO operatives flatly say that they’ve tracked the location of Skywatch’s base and are ready to nuke the damn thing out of the sky.

Listen to the latest episode of our weekly comics podcast!
The Wild Storm #15 Review

Also, their discourse isn’t what you’d call polite at this point.

As with most recent issues, the heart and soul of the story is the central scene involving Sam Elliot’s scary older brother John Lynch’s continuing search to root out and warn his former Project Thunderbook charges about the IO. This time around, he’s catching up with Philip Chang, nee Andrew Kwok. Much like Fairchild last issue, this month’s outing gives us a tease toward a member of 90s metahuman team, Gen13. Chang, the father of Percival “Grunge” Chang, has had complete facial reconstructive surgery in an attempt to flee his former life as a Khera-infused super soldier, and has seemingly managed to start a new life. Unfortunately, he misreads Lynch’s intentions with the warning and decides to kill his former commanding officer where he stands. What follows is a fantastically tense sequence where Lynch manages to get the drop on his telekinetic opponent through a trick straight out of The Matrix. It’s a really cool sequence, and after seeing Lynch run from Slayback and negotiate with Fairchild, it’s nice to be reminded that this dude is a badass.

The Wild Storm #15 Review

Dude is walking away from an explosion without looking at it. So…

Elsewhere we catch up with Shen, Jen and…Jack, as they delve deeper into the mystery of just what the hell the Mayor actually is. As a sort of pollution vampire capable of breathing toxic fumes and blend with urban decay, the scooby gang realizes that Jack is just one of many experiments designed to create a slave race of human-like beings that can survive in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. It’s a firm reminder that the alien species floating around The Wild Storm universe (the Khera, the Daemon, etc.) have no desire to preserve the planet as it is, and combined with the devastation Bendix and his cohorts pull off – they aren’t the only ones embracing a scorched earth policy.

The Wild Storm #15 Review

He’s uh…..he’s had a weird life…

In other, briefer, vignettes we see Slayton and his Khera symbiote continuing their warpath toward John Lynch, and secret agent Lucy Blaze, the former Zealot, being moved out of the New York region due to last month’s bloodbath with an IO Cat. That’s about all there is for this week, but the ramifications of these events are sure to be dire. The first shots have been fired in the war between IO and Skywatch leaving both sides with bloody noses. Lynch’s search for Thunderbook operatives is going to leave a trail of bodies across the country, and Shen and Jen’s adventures will continue the series’ long-standing motif of raising more questions than it answers.

The Wild Storm #15 Review

Like I said. Weird life…

This is another good issue, sure, but what I think sticks with me most is the violence within. The Wild Storm has always been a violent book, but holy shit. This month turns it up to 11. The Sequence with Lynch and Chang literally has a head explode, the Hawksmoor flashbacks showcase a lot of the sadistic experiments (and tortures) the Mayor has had to endure, and a city is literally razed to the ground by a falling crystal stick. That’s not even mentioning the bloodbath that was Slayton’s stop at a small town gas station.

The Wild Storm #15 Review

Yeah, he doesn’t get those souls by signing them up for his church.

[amazon_link asins=’B07F217GTJ’ template=’BottomAdAIPT’ store=’aiptcomics-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’94842f05-8a44-11e8-bec7-f7119107e998′]

Still, this issue definitely moves several stories along and plays to Davis-Hunts’ strengths – well paced and tense action scenes. Davis-Hunt really outdid himself this week by creating an action sequence built mostly around conversation instead of Paul Greengrass-style gun violence. It’s yet another tool in his arsenal and proves that he’s one of the most versatile artists in the game. I know we’re entering the end game of this series, but I’d love to see Warren Ellis and Davis Hunt take on a different kind of book to see what they can do. If The Wild Storm is any indication, I’ll probably dig that as well.

The Wild Storm #15 Review
The Wild Storm #15 Review
Is it good?
Yeah, man. The Wild Storm is hella consistent. This issue expands on and advances several stories, provides us with one kick ass action sequence, and creates yet another central mystery about the mission at hand.
The Good
The war between IO and Skywatch is getting intense.
That John Lynch sequence reminds you of what a badass the super spy can be.
Davis-Hunt's scene pacing is so damn good.
The Bad
The gore gets a little over the top at times.
There are a ton of lingering questions, so not all of them can be touched upon in every issue.
8.5
Great

Join the AIPT Patreon

Want to take our relationship to the next level? Become a patron today to gain access to exclusive perks, such as:

  • ❌ Remove all ads on the website
  • 💬 Join our Discord community, where we chat about the latest news and releases from everything we cover on AIPT
  • 📗 Access to our monthly book club
  • 📦 Get a physical trade paperback shipped to you every month
  • 💥 And more!
Sign up today
Comments

In Case You Missed It

Marvel unveils the new villains Bloodcoven appearing in 'Blood Hunt' Marvel unveils the new villains Bloodcoven appearing in 'Blood Hunt'

Marvel unveils the new villains Bloodcoven appearing in ‘Blood Hunt’

Comic Books

Films to check out at SXSW Films to check out at SXSW

Films to check out at SXSW

Movies

'My Adventures with Superman' gets new comics series starting June 2024 'My Adventures with Superman' gets new comics series starting June 2024

‘My Adventures with Superman’ gets new comics series starting June 2024

Comic Books

'X-Men' #35 (LGY #700) is the final farewell to the Krakoan Age 'X-Men' #35 (LGY #700) is the final farewell to the Krakoan Age

‘X-Men’ #35 (LGY #700) is the final farewell to the Krakoan Age

Comic Books

Connect
Newsletter Signup