Reviewer: Mathan “What About Joe?” Erhardt
Story Title: Picking Up The Pieces
Written by: Will Pfeifer
Penciled by: Dale Eaglesham
Inked by: Wade von Grawbadger
Colored by: Sno-Cone
Lettered by: Phil Balsman
Editor: Peter Tomasi
Publisher: DC Comics
This is the issue that wraps up the series. It begins with a huge Robby Reed clutching the villainous Dupe in his hand. The Dupe struggles to get free and eventually manages to, using heat vision to his advantage. With Robby reeling, the Dupe presses his advantage, and begins to pummel Reed.
Matt Allen, a former dial holder, rushes in and attacks the Dupe. He’s looking for his daughter, Andrea, whom the Dupe has kidnapped. Andrea is being watched over by Tony Finch, another previous dial holder. Andrea and Tony fight over the dial, and Tony wins, sort of.
Back to the Dupe and Matt battling. Matt is on the receiving end of a beating. The Dupe hurtles Matt through a helicopter. The aircraft falls to the ground and is about to crush onlookers, but a freshly empowered Andrea saves them.
The Dupe then uses his mental powers to make Matt attack his daughter. Andrea discovers the machinations, and traps the Dupe in a TK bubble. She is about to kill him, but relents at the last moment. The Dupe recovers and is about to finish off the heroes when Finch comes to his side. Finch recalls the Dupe calling him weak, and then shows the Dupe what real power is. The two burst into flames.
With the villains gone, Robby uses his time powers to get rid of the dial.
As an epilogue, Matt tries to fix his family with Andrea and her mother. Robby visits with Molly, (a character from issue #1) and finds out that Jerry, who died in the first battle with the original Dupe(?) has a son. And as the book closes we find the answer to one of the lingering questions the book has raised.
I really wish Pfeifer had the opportunity to tell the story he wanted to tell. He managed to wrap up most of the storylines, with this issue, but I’m curious what other paths he would have gone down, if this series had a longer life. Regardless, this is one of the most satisfying final issues ever.
It seems like I’ve said it a million times but Eaglesham and von Grawbadger are an amazing team. Hopefully they’ll stay together. Their work on this issue is nothing less than perfect. And Robby’s evolution as the book ends is a nice visual. I’m really going to miss seeing this beautiful art every month.
