[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer: Jeff Lemire
Artists: Joe Bennett, Dexter Vines, Scott Hanna
Colours: Mike Spicer
Letters: Tom Napolitano
Reviewed By: Derek McNeil
Summary
The Terrifics are back! Metamorpho, Phantom Girl and Plastic Man have reunited to save their long-lost leader Mr. Terrific and the heroic multiversal Mrs. Terrific to bring the ruckus to Doc Dread and his team of Dreadfuls. This is going to be a melee for the ages, in this epic conclusion to over a year of Terrifics comics stories! The fate of the Multiverse hangs in the balance—so don’t miss this issue!
Positives
Jeff Lemire’s time as writer of The Terrifics comes to a close and this story reflects that, bringing the first chapter of the title to a close. This issue could have easily have served as a final issue, and I suspect that Lemire wrote it that way. With most of the other New Age of Heroes line cancelled, this could easily have been the end point for this series as well.
I love how Jeff Lemire has developed the relationship amongst the team members over his 14 issue run. In the beginning, the four heroes were strangers, tied together by a Dark Matter bond. Although the group bore a number of resemblances to Marvel’s Fantastic Four, they were hardly a family like them. In fact, it took them awhile to start working together like a team.
However, it seems to have taken the group’s dissolution to make them realize that they have indeed become a family. Without the Dark Matter bond to keep them together, the group quickly fell apart. But when one member was in trouble, the rest rushed to his aid without a second thought.
It’s also great that Lemire’s tying up the dangling plot threads from his run. I am most happy to see that Plastic Man and his son Luke are well on the way to patching things up. Luke even slips and calls Plas “Dad.”
There is also a delightful break in the usual antagonism between Plas and Metamorpho, with Rex somewhat understates by saying, “I might actually start to not hate you soon.”
There also appear to be two additions to the team. Earth-23’s Mrs. Terrific decides to stick around to “share technology” and possibly pursue a budding romance with Mister Terrific. Also, Luke elects to remain with the team as Offspring. I hope that the new writer keeps both around instead of reverting back to the original foursome.
Also, there is an interesting revelation when the team hands Doctor Dread over to the Justice League Incarnate to be tried for multiple charges of “pan-dimensional homicide.” It turns out that alternate Javas have proven to be a major problem across the Multiverse. Who’d’ve thunk Java had the potential to be a major villain?
Negatives
I really have nothing negative to say about Jeff Lemire’s run on The Terrifics. It has been as been as well written and fun to read as any comic can hope to be. And the art has maintained a high quality as well, despite multiple changes in the artistic team.
The only drawback is that a very high standard has been set that may be hard for the new creative team to aim for. Hopefully, they will prove up to the task.
Verdict
This issue provided a satisfying conclusion to Jeff Lemire’s time as writer of The Terrifics. If the new creators can keep up the high level of quality we have seen so far, will remain one of the finest titles in DC’s lineup.
