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Review: Deadman #6

By Philip Schweier
April 25, 2018 - 08:33

And here I was hoping to a conclusion to this rambling mess of a narrative, but apparently, Neal Adams couldn’t fit it all into six issues. So there is now a Book Two, which promises to feature Batman. But given that the Caped Crusader is on the cover of this issue, his implied appearance is a bit of a tease.

Hoowever, it explains why the dialogue is so aimless, as people debate in fragmented sentences without saying anything. And as for our other players – Spectre, Demon, Zatanna, Doctor Fate, and Phantom Stranger – well they’re just left out in the cold – literally.

This series is suitably dead on its feet. The artwork is fabulous, but the overall premise seems to be, “How can we fit all our supernatural super-heroes into a single story?” For six issues we’ve seen Boston Brand wallow in angst over being trapped between life and death, and a puppet to the mystical forces of Nanda Parbat. Enough already. Would that he and his co-stars all have a common enemy to battle.

I appreciate Neal Adams work as much as the next guy. I think he is perhaps one of the most influential comic book artists the industry has ever seen. However, when it comes to writing, the man needs help, because when left to his own devices, the story and dialogue simply don’t measure up to the expected stature.

Rating: 4/10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12