Review: Commanders in Crisis #6
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer: Steve Orlando
Artist: Davide Tinto
Colorist: Francesca Carotenuto
Letterer: Fabio Amelia
Reviewed by: Carl Bryan
Summary
“You should stick to being a Superhero…cats in trees… and leave governing to the people!” – Angry Press Corps member to Seer
The last survivors of the Multiverse live among us under new, super heroic identities, five survivors of doomed worlds…taking a second chance to ensure our world lives on.
A new twist on strange superhero comics, COMMANDERS IN CRISIS follows in the footsteps of Doom Patrol and Thunderbolts as five unexpected heroes come together to solve a murder unlike any other. The victim? Compassion itself…This is “ideacide”!
Commanders in Crisis #6 – Originator hunts the psychotic radio-sapiens known as the Social Callers, but is she shutting them down or joining them?
With empathy in rigor and Frontier vanished, only superhuman logic can keep the Crisis Command fighting against the American Individuality Act and the Extinction Society’s next move!
Positives
Steve Orlando’s approach to Empathy being eradicated with possibly other emotions on the way to being out the door is pretty clever. In fact, he really approaches this topic of when a person lacks empathy, can they even have a sympathetic outlook for life at all?
This is not a soft-read as there are many layers to the story line. Powers, ripped abs, and beautiful heroes aside, Orlando writes a political script that is both thought provoking as well as philosophical…I guess both of those could be the same thing in the philosophy arena.
When Seer is told to just “stick to being a super hero”, that resonates politically when a reporter indicated to Lebron James to “just stick to dribbling a basketball”. Orlando is both topical and can get his point across like an expert boxer in the ring.
The introduction of other heroes is important in this issue as it provides that conflict and coming in like a wrecking ball is not necessarily the answer. Sometimes the spoken word and compromise is the way to go in this final version of Earth (Major Spoiler for its inhabitants).
In other words, the people of this Earth are on their last match in the box!
Positives (more…)
I continue to applaud the craft of Davide Tinto and Francesca Carotenuto – their lines are clean, their colors are vivid, and the frames are perfect for this comic. They tell a story within a story, and they work so well with Orlando’s script! This art is reminiscent of Dan Jurgens’ era of Superman versus Doomsday. The character drawings are perfect.
Negatives
Not exactly a negative, but Image is the playground Steve Orlando needs. His writing outlet is both philosophical as well as very sexual. That is not a bad thing, but an applause for Image for allowing Orlando to be very inclusive and equitable in his work.
Again, not a negative per se, but it is a moment to pause if a younger reader is interested in new heroes and is not familiar with Orlando’s work in this arena. The characters he has now developed have rings of familiarity to them to other heroes in other companies.
However, this is not 1950’s era comic book material. Orlando writes to the current comic audience so parents be thoughtful as material can initiate conversations.
Positives (Third Round!)
Sawbones and Seer continue to be my favorites in this new array of heroes. However, the introduction of a Namor/Aquaman like character in Hylan and a Thor Goddess like Thunder Woman are fun in this issue.  There are only so many powers to go around and Orlando has done his homework on spreading the wealth among his heroes and villains.
Verdict
The issues get better and better. The story line gets stronger and stronger. Go back and purchase issues 1-5.  You’ll be glad you added this to the collection! Again, note that the script continues to get deep and thought provoking, the art pushes the edges in story telling and the colors are as vivid as any comic produced. Image has a hit on its hands.
