[Editor’s note: This review may contain spoilers.]
Writer: Jeff Parker
Artist: Ron Randall
Inker: Veronica Gandini
Summary
Earth’s mightiest heroes (no, not those guys, sheesh, that is the wrong universe) have joined forces to take down the time and dimension alien menace known as Omnikron. There is a ton of action. Just when things look like they will be going smashingly (literally and figuratively), the Herculoids show up and attack the wrong team. Of course, they fear technology, so they see an organic monster fighting a giant robot, they go for the robot. Omnikron gets away. However, we learn that team Future Quest is pretty bad ass. The UN gives them all kinds of special rights and privileges so they can fight the monster. Then, there is a lot of talking. Space Ghost shows up fully charged (finally) and gives a speech. Okay, that was not what we were hoping for but…
Positives
Ron Randall takes center stage for the first half of this issue. There is a ton of action and it is done brilliantly by Randall. On one page he shows scale as we see how small Mightor and Cobalt really are in comparison to Buzz’s robot pal. In the inset panels, we see pre-teen angst and just how silly it is to run while holding hands. He is busy, but he never distracts us. He gets a chance to have Mightor meet Mightor and he makes it seem perfectly normal. Books that have this much going on can come across as messy, and honestly, a few of these issues have been a bit scattershot with the story telling, but the art has always been solid.
I really enjoyed what Parker did with Mightor/Ty in this issue. He is really powerful but he is only a kid. Having all of that power does not mean that he knows how to use it. He gets bailed out time and again and that rings true. At some point in our lives, we all have gotten over our own skis and know how it feels to be out of control. Ty has to learn things about what he can do, but as often is the case, he learns more by realizing what he can not do.
Negatives
There was a lot of family hugging in this issue. That kind of thing is usually reserved for the end of the run. It seemed a bit like an inhale before the final exhale. At this point are we going to see the kids in the action? They are so important to this story, but by putting them back under the wings of their families, will we get to see them get their hands dirty in the final battle? I sure hope so. The giant hug and kiss fest makes it seem like they will be left behind.
Verdict
As this run comes to an end, Parker has this book heading on the right path. With that final panel of this issue, we see that he is planning an epic hero/villain/robot/monster battle of the century. I hope he brings the whole art team back for the final few issues. It should be fun.
