All the pieces get arrayed for the end game in East Of West #44, by writer Jonathan Hickman, artist Nick Dragotta, colorist Frank Martin, and letterer Rus Wooton. This issue packs in the plots, setting readers up for the upcoming end of the book, but never feels overstuffed or poorly paced.

Xiaolian Mao watches the last of her forces as they battle the Confederacy, taking massive losses. Their bravery inspires her to take the field as well. This plays right into Chamberlain’s hands, as his army overwhelms her, and he orders her Death… and not a quick, merciful one. Wolf and John watch the battle, and Wolf asks John to do something for him. Meanwhile, the Horsemen train Babylon and in return, he tells them the secret how to beat his father- by surrendering, because otherwise, they have no hope. Back at the battlefield, John comes riding to Mao’s rescue with Endless Nation drones and Buer the demon. They escape the field. At the Axis, Death tries to give the Oracle back her eye, but she doesn’t want that one- she wants his remaining one, which she takes. Restored to her old form, she takes the now blind Death to his destiny. Chamberlain brags to Bel Solomon about his victory, but his bragging is cut short when their craft is downed, and he is brought face to face with the last Texas Ranger.

With one more issue remaining, Hickman does an admirable job of moving everyone into place for the ending of this book. This issue is jam-packed with plot but never feels bloated. Everything feels like it had the perfect amount of room to breathe. Most of the chapter is spent dealing with Mao and her battle against the Confederacy. It’s definitely one of the more pressing moments in the plot and needs to be given a resolution. While readers may want more stuff with Death and the Horsemen, this is the plotline that needed the most time devoted to it. The last stand of the People’s Republic is a key to maneuvering Mao to where she needs to be for the final battle, and this issue pulls that off in spectacular fashion.

The sections with the Horsemen and Babylon and Death are there to build hype. Babylon tells the Horsemen that they have no chance against his father, and it’s a cool moment for readers, thinking that Death will triumph and get his revenge and maybe even get his family back… then Hickman takes away his other eye. He heightens reader anticipation for the coming battle, then completely changes the game on readers. How will Death be able to triumph blind? What role will the Oracle play? What about Wolf, John, Mao, and Buer? And on the other side of things, will Chamberlain finally get what’s coming to him? Can the last Texas Ranger take him out, or will it be his long-suffering prisoner, Bel Solomon? This issue raises so many questions and does it in the best possible way.

Nick Dragotta hits it out of the park on this one. The best scene in the book is definitely Mao’s last stand. Speed lines give the whole thing a sense of movement, and two nine-panel grid pages are focusing on the battle. Frank Martin colors the entire thing in red and black, making the violence seem more visceral.

East Of West #44 delivers with high octane action and perfect set-up. Hickman fits a lot of set-up into this issue without it feeling stuffed to the gills or screwing up the pacing. As the issue ends, every character is in their position to play their part in the book’s ending. None of it feels contrived or undercooked. Dragotta’s art does a wonderful job of making the whole thing come to life, from the violent battle to his top-notch character acting. With one issue remaining, Hickman and company turn in a chapter that whets the anticipation for what is coming next.

Grade: A