REVIEW: DCeased: War Of The Undead Gods #5

DCeased: War Of The Undead Gods #5 continues to be a high octane read. With the introduction of one of my all time favourite Superman villains in the previous issue, I have been eagerly awaiting this one.

But before we get into the issue itself, let’s take a look at the covers. The standard cover is by Howard Porter & Rain Beredo and showcases our favourite Bastich, Lobo as he comes face to face with an infected Supergirl. The Spectre looks ominous in the background. I love the concept of this, seeing the situation from Supergirls perspective but doing so through the reflection of Lobo’s weapon is incredibly clever. This is a stellar cover.

The first variant is by Ben Oliver and showcases Lobo hovering over his latest victim. As always the detail on Ben Oliver’s work is phenomenal and it really brings the character to life. I also love the digitalised title and issue number, it adds a real gameplay affect to the cover as if you were playing a game of Tekken or something similar. I also love how the hand of the ‘victim’ leaves readers guessing as to who it is.

The second variant is by Francesco Mattina and this time shows an undead Green Lantern. The detail is stunningly yet hauntingly realistic and I particularly love the green glow around him, it really adds to the effect. This too is a stunning cover that any superhero or DC fan would be proud to own, a really great and visual piece.

The third variant is by Kael Ngu and I have to say I love these variants! If you purchase the physical copy the black background actually covers the main image and it makes it all the more effective. The detail is great once again and Black Canary looks fierce as she stands in the centre of attack. The use of the Green Lantern emblem works perfectly as a container for her cry, a very clever detail that I appreciate.

The final variant is by Sun Khamunaki and brings us a rather hopeful looking Supergirl despite her actual situation in this series. With that said it’s great contrast to the issue and just like the other covers, the detail is photo realistic. That seems to be a running theme with these artists and I am not mad at it. I adore the classic suit design.

DCeased: War Of The Undead Gods #5 opens up right where we left off, with the opening of a boom tube, as Lois, Big Barda & Scott are reunited. The pair have seen first hand what is coming and desperately try to spread the word to the others, specifically Superman. 

Superman, alongside Jon is with The Guardians and as they bicker over what actions they are going to take, they learn the news. That news changes everything, not only that but it leads to further divides between the group. One thing I adored about this moment, was seeing Mr Mxyzptlk so confident despite what he’s up against. He’s a Superman adversary that I adore and seeing him team up with Superman in this issue was an absolute joy, though that team up didn’t last as long as I’d have liked. 

Kilowog, Superman and Mxy head off to take on Darkseid’s army in a battle that simply cannot wait. The group are overwhelmed upon their arrival, but find they aren’t alone. What I loved here is the camaraderie between them, this is a team that truly care and love each other. This sequence also gives us two great Superman moments. The first when he says goodbye to Jon once again, and the second (my favourite) was the way that he makes people feel safe. This team are against unstoppable odds, yet Superman still remains hopeful, even after all that’s happened. 

It’s safe to say absolutely nothing could have prepared me for the last 10 pages or so of this issue, I lose count of how many because I turned the pages so fast. Though it is safe to say the plan did not go as they expected and the consequences of that really threw a spanner in the works and made for great comic book action.

The interior art is by Trevor Hairsine & Neil Edwards, with inks by Andy Lanning & Neil Edwards, colours by Rain Beredo and letters by Saida Temofonte. It is sensational, the rough edges are perfect for this series and the detail during the action sequences is second to none. The colours are realistic and really add to the catastrophe of the events in this issue. There is so much going on and I have to commend this creative team for displaying it so cohesively upon the pages.

DCeased: War Of The Undead Gods #5 is an absolute thrill of an issue. Once again Tom Taylor throws out all the stops. This series is unpredictable and wild, but that’s why I adore it and I cannot wait to see what our heroes come up against next.