It’s been a long wait between issues, but by all accounts “Danger Club” is still, well, one dangerous club, with this entry being probably the most dire and tense chapter yet.
Written by Landry Q. Walker
Illustrated by Eric JonesIt’s the end of the world, and Jack Fearless must now pay the price for his crimes.
As usual, the retro-styled first page of the issue delivers a hint of backstory, and in this case a bit of a laugh too, because – Nazi dinosaurs! That’s pretty much the only hint of levity, though, because if you think things were dark last issue – with Jack Fearless seemingly capitulating to the corrupt and creepy American Spirit, and executing Kid Vigilante – they turn absolutely pitch black here. The majority of the issue is devoted to a prolonged discussion between the American Spirit and Jack, and there’s both devastating insult and pretty intense injury going on here as the President monologues about the “insurrection” of the sidekicks.
All the while, there’s some streamlined action in progress as the other sidekicks collaborate on an escape plan. Some serious tactics are in order if they’re going to escape the President’s clutches, and that’s exactly what we get, with Yoshimi taking point and executing a few novel and clever manoeuvres. She also gets likely the best line in the issue as the last pieces of the plan fall into place.
The trope at work here is a bit of an old chestnut, and it’s not entirely effective – the President reveals his ultimate plans because gloating is what evil people do, and he’s definitely evil – but it’s executed well in terms of pacing, and is distinguished by its particular down-low meanness as the President forces Jack to repeat the oath that swore him in as a sidekick.
Another interesting aspect to the monologue is how the President brings up the idea of time travel, and how it vitally changed the game for everybody during the last war. If there ever was a fruitful topic for further exploration, that would be it – but then, that’s also been this series’ hallmark so far, incorporating tantalizing nuggets of information that gesture toward a deep history, making it feel like we’ve known this world for far longer than just a few issues. (That’s a nifty bit of time travel unto itself, come to think of it.) At any rate, this particular bit of background serves to bring this issue to one gobsmacking, apocalyptic conclusion, and while the sidekicks’ plan is still very much in progress at this moment, it’s a hell of an ending, upping the ante once more in a story that has done nothing except offer high stakes and bleak fortunes since its first page.
Eric Jones’ art (as fleshed out by Michael Drake’s magnificent colours) continues to have that celluloid smoothness to it, an airbrushed-sleek look that belies the messiness of the proceedings and never lets us forget that these sidekicks were once part of something that was glorious and good AND photo-op worthy. The violence is particularly visceral in this issue, while the effortless-looking angular layouts read fluidly and keep the look dynamic.
The real show-stealer here, though, is the President himself; he’s never been a cuddly character, but his sinister qualities are brought to the forefront as Jones sets down an appreciably decrepit and dangerous supervillain. Meanwhile, Jack – whose retrained but still palpable emotions have made him one of the more visually interesting characters so far – has a lot of terrible stuff to react to, and his character continues to come through loud and clear.
And then, of course, there are those apocalyptic final pages, rendered with a dizzying feel for scale, and Michael Drake’s colours really shine here, laying out the neon-brightest end of the world you’re liable to witness.
Overall, this issue keeps to a high standard so far as this gut-wrenching series is concerned. By all counts, it seems we can look forward to even more bleakness and desperation in this series – although that hardly seems like the right way to put it, does it?
Final Verdict: 8.5 – Buy
