Comic Review: DCeased: Dead Planet #7

DCeased: Dead Planet #7

DC Comics

Writer: Tom Taylor

Artists: Trevor Hairsine, Stefano Guadiano

DCeased is the book that I love the most, that I should hate the most, given its premise. Yet, it’s been a killer since the very first issue. Tom Taylor And Trevor Hairsine have crafted something special due to its cohesive vision and fantastic characterizations. It’s a book of such quality that it transcends it’s the questionable premise and somehow becomes something more true to the characters than is sometimes seen in the main universe. This issue is a more than fine end to the second part.

I find it impressive that Taylor and Hairsine manage to jam so much substance into just seven issues. 25 years ago that might not be a big deal, but it’s significant given the style of modern times. With just 14 issues between the two main DCeased books, excluding the spinoffs I haven’t read, it’s clear that the series does a fantastic job at telling its story without leaning heavily on side material.

Though it’s a dense book, it’s not at the expense of pacing. Taylor doesn’t bog down the book with masses of caption boxes or dialogue balloons. The art and characters have sufficient breathing space because the book manages to beautifully intertwine those things with the progression of the overall plot. Although, the ending is rather abrupt. Given the number of story threads still left hanging, I suspect that there’s a third series on the horizon. Still, this being its own contained seven issues, I think a more fleshed out ending would have been beneficial. The story itself wraps up nicely, but the last few pages blow through some very big character moments, and just one more issue could have easily alleviated that criticism.

Still, I find myself impressed with the structure of this series, as well as the issue itself. There are many plot threads and character developments that have been meticulously unfurling over the course of these seven issues. It leaves the reader with the impression that there are no cheap tricks being pulled simply to end the story, instead, it’s a story told with careful craft and coherence.

The only other criticism I could lay on the book is its sense of humor. This isn’t an all-encompassing criticism, as Tom Taylor is usually very funny. However, it is occasionally too cute by a half measure. Sometimes a big, exciting moment will hit, and Taylor’s humor just goes a hair’s breadth too far. It’s enough to be noticeable, but rarely enough to ruin the moment.

Trevor Hairsine’s art is, as usual, wonderful. The scratchy and rough style is perfect for the horrific subject matter of the series. He’s not the kind of guy who’s right for every project, but he happens to be perfect for this one. Over the course of these fourteen issues, Hairsine has defined the look and feel of this world to the degree that I don’t know how much I care to see it drawn by anyone else,  almost regardless of their talent.

DCeased: Dead Planet #7 is a satisfying end to a spectacular sequel. Tom Taylor and Trevor Harisine have spent seven issues weaving an intricate set of game pieces into a world of overwhelming odds. He’s created a story with numerous layers of tension that sometimes flip at a moment’s notice and change the game entirely. The ending does leave you wanting more, but that’s only a problem if we don’t get more. Given the critical and commercial success of these two miniseries’, I can’t imagine that being the case.