Coming off of issue #4 (read our review of DV8: Gods and Monsters #4), Brian Wood and Rebekah Isaacs’ DV8 series had a lot to live up to. The Threshold-centric issue #4 was a nearly flawless piece of comic book storytelling from everyone involved. Issue #5, while still of the quality that’s been established for the mini-series, simply can’t compare to the issue that preceded it, but it’s likely that few things can.
Gods and Monsters #5 again changes focus as Gem continues to be interrogated by an unknown force aboard The Carrier, this time telling the story of Sublime and Evo as they adapt to life on the savage planet. Wood creates a great dichotomy between the two characters, using them to portray both ends of the spectrum as it pertains to the team being marooned on the unknown planet. Evo, who is able to transform himself into a beastly form, adapts quickly to the savage lifestyle of the natives, while Sublime takes solace in using these people to elevate herself to the status of a God.
While we’ve seen that concept danced around more than once in Gods and Monsters, it wasn’t in the same way that Wood presents it here. Previously, the concept was explored as more of an abstract notion, with subtlety and suggestive dialog. Here, it’s explicitly stated; not as exposition but in heated arguments between Sublime and Evo, where their true nature shines through. Wood excels at constructing two different tragic figures: Sublime for her self-serving actions when she could do so much good on this new planet, and Evo for only just realizing his potential in a place where he’s on the same level as most everyone else. It’s not the thought-provoking mindf*ck that issue #4 was, but there are still interesting questions raised that fit right in with the rest of the series.
Rebekah Isaacs continues to step up her game with issue #5, improving upon everything that’s been great in the four issues previous. One cool little aspect of the book I found to be really intriguing was her increased sense of claustrophobia during the scenes with Gem aboard The Carrier. I’d have to flip back through the last few issues, but there is something about the way Issacs frames these scenes that gives it a feel of intensity and immediacy that wasn’t there before. Even in the page layouts, there are a few panels of the Gem stuff laid between the main narrative, giving the panel placement itself a sense of claustrophobia. As I said, this may be something I’m only just catching on to, but it’s a great touch nonetheless.
I can’t close this off without mentioning the cover; Fiona Staples has done amazing work on her covers for Gods and Monsters thus far, but issue #5 takes the cake. It’s the first issue to break the general mold of the covers -- namely in that it features two characters. The composition and body language of both Sublime and Evo are perfectly executed, portraying everything that their characters are within a solitary image. It’s really just stunning work, plain and simple.
DV8: Gods and Monsters continues to impress. With the series over the halfway mark at this point, the creators involved and WildStorm as a publisher are onto the beginning of what could be their next big franchise, if the numbers allow it and the talent want it.
