Reviewer: Kevin S. Mahoney
Story Title: Out of the Past Conclusion
Written by: Chuck Dixon
Penciled by: Scott McDaniel
Inked by: Andy Owens
Colored by: Tony Avina
Lettered by: Phil Balsman
Editor: Michael Wright
Publisher: DC Comics
Last issues of cancelled series seem to fall into two categories: sunset and nova. On the one hand, final installments that either are planned that way or function as beautiful final examinations or ruminations of the series theme leave the fans with a warm fuzzy feeling. On the flip side, most abrupt series cancellations conclude with a rushed, observably cobbled, frenzied final chapter. Even rabid fans of the star of an axed series have trouble enjoying those final pages of a failed book; it’s a bit like observing the autopsy of a loved one. The horror of the situation creates the desire to flee in terror, while whatever personal connection built by previous experiences prevents a healthy exit.
Morbidly, the last issue of Richard Dragon is the second case. This twelfth and final book of a would have been regular series shoehorns a conclusion to the Dragon/Shiva tension while sidestepping all kinds of legitimate ramifications of their battle to the death. It seems someone left the revolving door to perdition unlocked again (Paging Mr. Todd… Jason Todd to the white courtesy telephone) so fans of all kinds of martial arts comics characters have no one to mourn by the tale’s finale. That absurd development certainly sucks the drama from the final sequence of events in this book. But there is pit fighting and ass-kicking for about eighteen of the first twenty pages or so of this story, and that’s something. On the other hand, Connor Hawke (Green Arrow II to the uninitiated) is sucker punched and punked by the lead character and that probably disgusted the few fans the Blond Buddhist had left.
The art in this issue excels past the herky-jerky plot, if only because one of the best action-depicting pencilers is involved. If there is anything negative about McDaniel’s performance in this issue, it may be that his version of Neron seems too cold and not suave. The figurehead of evil in any universe ought to have a certain visual élan, and old dead eyes looks a bit too boring and stolid here. The inks, colors, and occasional special fonts add the extra something to the overall superior presentation of this mediocre wrap-up comic. The comparative strength of the art team can be inferred by the cross-promotion of their next project (Robin) on the last page where the next issue blurb ought to be. It’s far more common to promote the next appearance of the title character, however minor.
There ought to be a lesson here. Something about how sound and fury without a heart behind it cannot be self-sustaining. Maybe this just wasn’t the right time or marketplace for a pure martial arts comic with a side of redemption. Or the point might be that the McDaniel/Dixon success on Nightwing isn’t something that can just be replicated when they work together on subsequent projects. Either that, or it just wasn’t as good a book overall. I suppose many comics end up in the dusty backroom long boxes for lesser reasons. Regardless, this series is over. Whoever is the last to leave, punch out its lights.
