Nemesis: Reloaded #5 (of 5)

COMICON

In Nemesis: Reloaded #5, we get two differing timelines, with two differing plot lines. And, while I recognise the first as being the central story of revenge as meted out by Nemesis, the second plot doesn’t reveal whether this is happening in the past or future. Of course, by the and of the book and this series all is revealed. And, that’s not the only revelation either. But, I’ll let you find that one out for yourself as its both a shock conclusion and the set-up for Mark Millar’s big summer crossover, Big Game. So, no spoilers here. Two plots or not, Nemesis macabrely pirouettes through them both dispensing violence to one and all in his carefully meticulous plan for taking down all those responsible for the incarceration and eventual death of his parents. And, in this parallel plot too, there is a surprise too. So, a comic book full of thrills and spills; the spilling of dramatic revelations as the curtain is drawn back from Nemesis’ multi-layered plans. It’s one surprise after another as we speed full throttle to the end of this series and a Nemesis who is much more relatable than his original counterpart from the original series. He’s still a dick, but a dick with good reason for his revenge plot. Artist Jorge Jiménez continues to have fun with Nemesis, and continues to deliver one dynamic scene after another, with Giovanna Niro’s colouring one more filling up the vibrant reds whenever blood is spilt, to better contrast with the cooler colours often used in this issue. As a Millar fan you will most definitely want to pick up this series in trade if you did miss it as it encapsulates a lot of what fans of Millar’s writing love. A good dose of shocking, dark humoured violence, a good amount of surprises unveiled and a canny knack of working with some of the best artists in the business. There’s even a nod to one of Millar’s most beloved films Superman II, if you know what to look out for. Honestly, I’d love to go into more depth, but it would be difficult to do so without revealing any spoilers, which is frustrating when the issue is so satisfying to read. Particularly for long-time fans who will feel a sense of reward for being there from the very beginning with the very first Millarworld comic, Wanted, some 15 years ago now. Wow, talk about playing the long game.

Un Cómic Más

The narrative rhythm of this installment is powerful, intense, Mark Millar does not hold back, each panel of each page comes with consecutive revelations that will not stop shaking you with emotion and amazement. For those who have followed Millarworld, they will feel an immeasurable level of satisfaction with what this comic offers. Art Jorge offers some impressive fight sequences with angles that highlight the dynamism of each fight, where facial expressions are definitive and visual support. Niro's colors are very bright and he plays a lot with blurring.

Critical Blast

In 1984, Mike W. Barr and Michael Golden introduced readers to a new villain -- The Wrath. No, not "Wraith" as in "ghost" -- "Wrath" as in "righteous anger." It was in Batman Special #1 in a story called "The Player on the Other Side," and it dared to posit a villain whose origins mirrored Batman's, only with law and crime reversed. The Wrath was an anti-Batman, who was the equal to the Dark Knight in tactics, skill, and physical prowess. Unfortunately for the readers, this was the character's only appearance. Years later, as Batman became more infallible in the comics, a new anti-Batman appeared. Prometheus, created by Grant Morrison, entered the DC Universe in a one-shot called New Year's Evil: Prometheus in 1998. This character was more ruthless, destroying cities and maiming heroes. But he wasn't quite the same as The Wrath: he cheated. All his skills came from having a chip in his head that he could program on the fly with whatever talents he needed. That just made him an amped-up version of the classic Calculator to me, so I couldn't accept him as the evil Batman. It took Mark Millar to give us that with Nemesis, and this antagonist-led series, Nemesis: Reloaded. Where Batman is the good guy who wears all black, Nemesis is the bad guy who wears all white. His skills are earned, his schemes several layers of Machievellian plotting, and his drives are... surprisingly relatable. His ruthlessness is unmatched, and he's willing to sacrifice anything and anyone with a shrug if it gets him closer to fulfilling his mission. This latest issue finds Nemesis holding the city of Los Angeles hostage with a nuclear bomb hooked up to a lie detector. And hooked up to the lie detector? The de facto mayor and former hero cop, Joe Costello. Nemesis has questions for Joe, which are being televised throughout the city. And if Joe lies, the city goes -- even if it takes Nemesis with it (although part of me believes Nemesis had a way out for himself even in a situation like this; he just plans that well). The story also advances into the next phase of Nemesis' career, with a quest that has even more nods to the classic villains of the past, and their gimmicks, ending with the shocking revelation (to the readers, anyway) of the fabric of Nemesis' world. Things aren't how they used to be -- and nobody realizes it. But to tell you more about that would be to spoil the thrill of getting there, so I'll just leave you with the knowledge that you want to get this book -- this series -- and set aside a block of private time to enjoy it without interruption.

The Super Powered Fancast

The Story: Millar brings this story to a beautifully bombastic and satisfying conclusion filled with action, intrigue and a reveal that has me excited for what comes next for both the character and the rest of Millar’s universe of stories. As satisfying as the end of this issue, I don’t want to say more for fear of spoiling something teased at the end of the story, but based on the conclusion of this issue, I am already hooked to discover what comes next. The Art: Jimenez delivers some beautifully detailed and deliciously brutal art throughout the issue. There are two competing stories in this finale and both are brilliantly done and visually stunning.