Review: Plunge #5
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer:Â Joe Hill
Artist: Stuart Immonen
Colors:Â Dave Stewart
Letters:Â Deron Bennett
Reviewer:Â Tony Farina
Summary
The crew of the Derleth have been generous hosts. They’ve given Moriah, Bill, Gage, and the rest of the MacReady’s crew several incredible gifts. They’ve solved problems humanity has grappled with for ages, shown us ways to power the entire world for generations. And they’re offering even more. All they want is one teensy-weensy little favor in return from the MacReady’s crew: open the hatch.
Positives
Plunge #5 really proves that Joe Hill has versatility. This guy can write tension, comedy and horror all in one. There are some pretty graphic scenes in this book, and yet, I laughed out loud twice. There are some touching moments that ratchet up the stakes. The fact that we see main characters killed off means that we really don’t know who will survive, if anyone. That is so important. If we know, without a doubt, that the hero will live, well then, it just doesn’t really grab us does it?
Newly minted Eisner winner, Dave Stewart, proves why he earned my vote and why he is the best in the business. Blood splatters and slime and creepy crawlies are all enhanced by Stewart’s expert coloring. Immonen’s art is on point again too creating said crawlies in the first place. Both things are on display in the panel below. Of course, there are other incredible details as well with facial expressions and body language that looks three dimensional and real. The fact that I can’t tell what is more terrifying, the decaying, talking bodies or the monsters that inhabit them tells you all you need to know about how detailed the art is.
Negatives
Plunge #5 Â has no real weakness. Sure, it is creepy AF and sure, someone gets killed and sure, if I had nightmares it would induce them. So, if you hate those things, then yeah, this is not for you.
Verdict
Plunge #5 is, by all accounts, a perfect penultimate issue. You want the second to last story to be so tense and tooth chatteringly good that readers will line up a month in advance to get the next issue. Next month is going to be spectacular. It will be the end of phase one of Hill House comics, which is sad, but I have no doubt it will go out with a splash.
