Reviewer: Daron Kappauff
Quick Rating: Still getting better.
Written by: Chuck Dixon
Penciled by: Steve Epting
Inked by: Roland Paris
Colored by: Frank D’armata
Lettered by: Oscar Gongora
Editor: N/A
Publisher: CrossGen
This title continues to pick up steam as the infighting continues, and long-term allies find themselves opposed against one another. Now if you know me, you know this up until last issue, this title has been constantly slipping in favor with me. In fact I was prepared to drop the title if the Key issue (last month) didn’t deliver. Well it did and I’m once again a Crux fan.
After almost a year rambling on and on about nothing, this once great title has found its momentum again. We left off last issue with the revelation that Aristophanes had awakened 4 more Atlanteans and had spurred them to his cause (which is to simply walk into Negation space and wipe them out entirely…that’s right 5 Atlanteans against the entire Negation Universe. Is it any wonder Capricia’s crew isn’t too keen on the idea?) There’s also the little fact that Zephyre and Verityn have disappeared, apparently at the hands of Aristophanes, leaving Tug and Galvan alone to deal with the ancient Atlantean.
Well without ruining too much…Zephyre and Verityn turn out to be fine, but one among our remain 4 heroes ends up turning on them and joining Aristophanes. The rest of the group retreats and decides to set up their new base of operations in the now abandoned city of San Angeles, which now stretches over “all of the place called California.†Aristophanes and his crew, now numbering a staggering 6 Atlanteans, prepare to wage intergalactic war with the Negation. Anyone want to take any bets on how this one is going to turn out?
What else can I say about this issue? Dixon has finally gotten the ball rolling with this title and I have to say I’m once again on board for the long haul. The art as always is spectacular. Epting has been producing the best stuff of his career from issue one of this series, and this title has been one of the only CrossGen titles that has had little to know fill-in artists. His characters are unique and fun to look at, and his backgrounds are nothing short of breathtaking. Every background is full of detail, and there is very little space wasted, ever, in the art in the series.
