Comic Review: Dark Crisis #6

DC Comics

Writer: Joshua Williamson

Artists: Daniel Sampere & Alejandro Sanchez

Letterer: Troy Peteri

Dark Crisis has been inconsistent, but it has also been DC’s best event in many years. After a strong start and a few decent issues in the middle, Dark Crisis is set for an exciting climax.

Joshua Williamson has done an excellent job of giving many heroes their own moments. Dark Crisis has a massive cast, so it is nearly impossible to satisfy every fan of every character. In Dark Crisis #6, things go by blistering fast, as the majority of the issue is a large battle with the remaining heroes and villains at play. There is plenty to look at throughout the splashes, and readers will likely find their favorite character doing something cool in the background somewhere.

Of course, only a few characters can get the spotlight, and it isn’t surprising that Jon is one of them. Anyone who has gotten close to the young Superman over the course of this miniseries will feel fulfilled, as the character lives up to his name here. Through strong speeches, great action, and sentimental flashbacks, Williamson and Daniel Sampere deliver an astounding payoff. This well-written emotional payoff is then followed up with the big moment that everyone has been anticipating since the event started.

All of these great moments don’t succeed without Daniel Sampere and Alejandro Sanchez. While the art throughout this event has been more than solid, it more-or-less carries this issue. With so little dialogue and so much action, Dark Crisis #6 is a showcase of how impactful art can be on the story. The action flows through the pages seamlessly, leaving just enough movement in between the panels to keep the reader fully engaged. Sampere’s framing is excellent, allowing the reader to always see exactly what they need to.

Sanchez’s colors simply pop throughout this issue. The backgrounds are dark, with orange and red tints that inject urgency into the panels. As things build up to the big reveal, the colors get more optimistic, matching Williamson’s script.

Troy Peteri’s letters are also excellent. There isn’t much dialogue here, but there are plenty of sound effects and yelling characters. Everything has a voice, and the sound effects are crystal clear when read.

It’s not clear yet if Dark Crisis will have a lasting impact on the DC universe. What we do have though is a fun blockbuster event, and most of the best moments so far are in this issue. If you have already been reading this event, there is no reason to stop now.