Creative Team:
Writers: Robert Love, David Walker
Artist: Robert Love
What They Say:
The adventures of the boy known as Number 13 draws to an epic conclusion, and the fate of the world hangs in the balance! Caught in the middle of a deadly battle between the Infected and the Immune, Number 13 learns the shocking truth behind his creation and the purpose of his existence.
The Review:
After an appearance in Dark Horse Presents and an extended issue zero before this series, the book comes to a close with this issue as we see Number Thirteen coming to grips with the reality thrust upon him. With the world engulfed in the post apocalyptic problems that it has, with the Monstrum Morbus plague having done the damage that it has, Number Thirteen has at least found some friends. It was the kind of tale that you’d expect where while they were all different and unique in their own ways, sometimes twisted and sometimes beautiful, it was all in the eye of the beholder. But what Thirteen found was friends that would name him, help him and protect him. Some of the challenges were interesting as they were revealed, but what became clearer and clearer as it progressed was that the Professor was just going to do what was needed to get him, no matter who was killed. The important of Thirteen was simply made clear because of that.
With the way the Professor has orchestrated things in his quest to get Thirteen back, it’s now lead to this bigger fight that’s going on with the varied people that are on either side of the equation. While the fighting isn’t given a ton of time, we get to see some good uses of it in the first few pages that shows the way it’s impacting so many people. But it’s more to paint a picture that the group that Thirteen is with have realized that the Professor will simply not stop and will go all out, resulting in quite a few of them getting ready to bolt. But at the same time, we’ve also got those that will defend him and do what’s needed because it’s the right thing and because Thirteen needs their help. The dynamics of the group is fun to watch play out here between the visuals of the character designs and the quick way some of them are so quick to book it out of there. But there’s also the amusing side where while they dicker, bicker and argue, Thirteen just goes to confront the Professor directly.
For a final issue, things more quickly as it wraps up a lot of things when it comes to the truth about Thirteen’s origins and why the Professor is after him so intently. Saving the world is the kind of thing where people will go as far as they can, but there’s always that chance of being viewed or doing things that would cause you to become the villain in the story, even if the end goal is saving the world. Thirteen has a hard time believing and processing what the Professor tells him, but the reality is that they do take the truth of it and change the world. And for Thirteen, it’s having to realize that even though a lot of bad things have gone down, and the confusion over it all has made him do things that he never wanted to do, he has to move past it in order to do what’s right. I like the conflict of it all, even as we see Thirteen continuing to fight, because he’s been made to do things he doesn’t want to do but could end up saving the world because of it.
The book definitely has a good look about it as it has that big post apocalyptic world where there are so many varied people in a whole host of situations. The series has a strong color palette to it that comes across well throughout, definitely more “comic booky” in a way than something grim and gritty, but it works that into it as well because of some of the roughness of the line work. I like the design for Thirteen but there’s just a lot of fun in seeing all the other characters, defined or not, because of the way they all have some fun hooks to them. The infusion of technology of some, the more mutated aspects of others, a combination of both and you get something that definitely stands out and in its own odd way appeals to the 80’s fan in me where these kinds of post-apocalyptic worlds were big business, in comics and in movies.
In Summary:
Coming into this series with the last issue is admittedly awkward, but it was relatively easy to get into it and there’s plenty here to make you want to go and check out the previous issues. With the setting and the characters, it’s not something that comes across as hugely deep and meaningful, but it’s not sunshine and rainbows either. Thirteen is faced with some big decisions here but they’re not decisions that can be made until he has the full truth. Seeing the way he gets that thrust into his face as well as the way those that have been with him over the course of the series deal with what the Professor is doing works surprisingly well. I liked the nature of the book and there’s a kind of infectious quality about it with the artwork, pacing and plotting of it and I can see that this would make for a good read in a single collection. Bringing the book to a close here, it answers the big questions and provides a sense of closure while still having some open avenues to pursue.
Grade: B-
