Writer: Tony Bedard
Artist: Tyler Kirkham
The final battle against Invictus takes place as the dissolution of the current incarnation of the New Guardians unfolds. While confronting guardian Sayd for her methods and Larfleeze for... well, being Larfleeze, Kyle and his companions come face to face with the archangel from Vega for the last time in an effort that could be considered the ultimate collaboration, and pretty much what this year of stories has slowly been leading to; the entire issue is a visual delight. What comes completely out of the blue and in direct contradiction to what the series has been about, is the team splitting up. The relationships that were simmering for 12 issues, the dynamics, and even the inner conflicts, all come crumbling down in the last page in order to set a blank slate for the second year of the title. A disservice to the characters, and the readers who were vested on them.
Gah, thank you! I've been reading "praises" for #12 everywhere and no one pointed out that the team splitting up is kind of a disappointment- Walker's been my favourite and it honestly doesn't really make sense to me that he would leave Kyle on account of Sayd's failure. He wouldn't stay and support his friend in the coming storm?
ReplyDeleteThat and generally speaking- Whatever Sayd's intentions, it was interesting where the team was going. Arkillo and Walker's friendship dynamic, the glimmer of understanding between Fatality and Bleez, etc. Are we seriously leaving that behind? I hope not; at least the graphic promoting #13-#16 and the Rise of the Third Army seems to imply otherwise. Perhaps the splitting up is simply a setup for something that will occur in a future issue that requires them to be split up.
Thanks for your comment, Thur. The next iteration of the New Guardians includes Carol Ferris, Atrocitus, Larfleeze and some of the old team. A nice lineup, but the original group is gone.
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