Event Leviathan #6 // Review
In interviews, writer Brian Michael Bendis has described his first event title with DC comics, Event Leviathan, as a mystery. A good mystery gives the reader all the pieces. So that when they all fit together in the end, they can see the connections from the beginning. Event Leviathan #6 proves that this title is not a good mystery.
As with every issue of Event Leviathan, this issue is a conversation intercut with flashbacks to the main action. This time it’s a conversation between Superman and Lois Lane, as Clark comforts his wife after the passing of her father, and Lois tries to craft the story on Leviathan. In the flashbacks, Batman and his team of detectives deal with the traitor in their midst before teaming up with Lois’ other group of detectives and Superman to foil Leviathan’s grand plan. In the process, Leviathan’s identity is finally revealed. The big mystery turns out to be a big dud, as his identity turns out to be a character so out-of-left-field, so unconnected to the first five issues of the comic, that he might as well have been a new character altogether.
Bendis’ writing is typical of his work, in both the best and the worst sense. His characters are all witty and compelling, and the ones he has the most interest in--Lois Lane, Superman, Damian Wayne--just sing with witty and truthful dialogue. The rest of the characters--Plastic Man, John Constantine, Zatanna, and so forth--blur together, their voices lost to a general samey cleverness.
The painted art by Alex Maleev, with lettering by Josh Reed, continues to be absolutely stunning. His design of the unmasked Leviathan is exceptional, and his depiction of the fight between Leviathan and the assembled heroes is appropriately epic. His character work with Lois, and Clark is equally solid.
The first five issues of Event Leviathan were a tight little thriller, with some interesting character work and gorgeous art. Unfortunately, with this dud of a reveal, the sixth and final issue proves that the whole story is less Leviathan and more a beached whale.