SPOILERS AHEAD!
Initial Thoughts
The Peril of the Brutal Dark: An Ezra Cain Mystery #5 has reached its penultimate issue, and the Brutal Dark—and their plan—has officially been revealed. A pissed-off German and a disillusioned American soldier are now in control of the fate of New York City. It is now up to Ezra Cain, a lonely down-on-his-luck detective, to not only save the city, but the world. I love that I typed that sentence. I think this is a very small microcosm of what this series has finally evolved into: a sci-fi historical-fiction shoegum noir that explores its citizens' frustration. Sound familiar?
My expectation for The Peril of the Brutal Dark has grown with each issue, and with one issue left, my excitement is at a fever pitch. The fight seems to be closing in on the shores of New York City, and having Ezra Cain fighting back against robot Nazis is the only way this mini-series can end. Writer Chris Condon and artist Jacob Phillips continue to build a very exciting world that makes me want more, and that may be the series's greatest strength. The Peril of the Brutal Dark #4 set us up for an explosive ending.
We’re Almost at the End
The entire story of The Peril of the Brutal Dark has been leading to this. All of Ezra’s detective work has paid off, and he is face-to-face with Hans Huber, whom we met in issue #2, who has revealed himself to be the leading force behind the Nazi scourge of The Brutal Dark. We not only find out that it is the Brutal Dark behind it, but also what their plans for it are: to have true and total power over the rest of the world. Their first target? New York City.
The finale has been set, and The Battle of New York is set. With the Antil of Hephaestus under the control of the Brutal Dark, and-- unbelievably-- Robot Nazi’s flying above NYC, Ezra Cain is looking to save the world from falling under Nazi occupation. How will Cain save the world? Who can help him, as this isn't a one-man job? Also, in this alternate universe, do we still enter WWII? Issue #6 is going to be so exciting and will require answering many questions. I trust in Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips, and I believe they will stick the landing.
Indiana Cain
One continuous aspect I like about how Jacob Phillips treats Ezra Cain, issue in and issue out, is his Indiana Jones. Regardless of the situation, Cain is up for the challenge. His demeanor is that of someone who doesn't care and is indifferent. However, his actions say otherwise. The contrast of his character design and his athleticism is a night-and-day difference and is something that carried us (the reader) from scene to scene. First from the collapsing building, to the inside of the Zeppelin, then finally to a single-seater airplane. I think the entire issue of The Peril of the Brutal Dark #5 was the peak for the character, which to me makes it the peak of the issue.
The only complaint I might have on that is that there was so much mystery and detective work that I wish it had lasted a little longer. That isn't a complaint about the story itself, but rather about the space and time given to Condon and Phillips. As I mentioned in my review of The Peril of the Brutal Dark #4, I would love to see Cain continue to solve world-ending mysteries, in the vein of Benoit Blanc from the Knives Out series.
Jacob Phillips is Good at What he Does
The art for The Peril of the Brutal Dark #5 continues to be its own character, building tension and anticipation, and eliciting an almost physical reaction when we read this issue. Specifically, in the scenes inside the Nazi zeppelin--which made up about 66% of the book--the red and orange shades used to signal that this takes place within the balloon make it feel hot and muggy. I started sweating just reading it. Something else that made me feel emotionally was the deep red used to represent the Anvil's power. Every (good) book should have a lasting scene that makes you remember a specific part of it. For me, in The Peril of the Brutal Dark #5, it was the sheer power presented by Jacob Phillips.
The deep red colors and the facial expressions drawn by Phillips were so good in this issue. What has made this series, and this book specifically, so good is the personal care that Phillips takes with his art. In Ezra, Ezra’s surroundings and NYC itself serve as characters that elevate the storytelling in ways not many other books do. Phillips and Condon continue to prove they are among the best partnerships in comic books today.
Final Verdict
The Peril of the Brutal Dark: An Ezra Cain Mystery #5 was a strong setup for the final issue, which sees Cain fighting off the Nazi surge of the Brutal Dark from destroying New York City and controlling the world. Chris Condon's story has stayed true to the characters introduced in the first issue, and Jacob Phillips's art continues to add weight to the situation. To be honest, things are pretty dire. The Peril of the Brutal Dark #5 has officially merged all the genres and storylines into a single story, and I feel like this has been the narrative peak of the series.
I think the most impressive thing about this series, and The Peril of the Brutal Dark #5 specifically, is how seamlessly all of the elements that might have seemed far-fetched to merge at the beginning are locked in. Like a perfect puzzle, the momentum built over the first five issues will make The Peril of the Brutal Dark #6 a must-read. The non-stop action in this issue made it not only the most exciting but also the most important so far. That is quite the accomplishment, considering this was already a fantastic series.