Comic Review: Shoplifters Will Be Liquidated #5

Shoplifters Will Be Liquidated #5

AfterShock Comics

Writer: Patrick Kindlon

Artist: Stefano Simeone

With its final issue, Shoplifters Will Be Liquidated comes to an explosive finish. At the center of multiple, convoluted plots, loss prevention specialist Nussbaum finds himself. After all is said and done, he really is a single-minded, corporate drone with no real aspirations aside from the demands of the brand. And he wouldn’t have it any other way.

However, Nussbaum’s lack of ambitions doesn’t save him from the fate of the schemers surrounding him. Insider trading scams and revolutionary coups end in disaster. The only one who finds any real success is business magnate Mr. Provo, who’s daring attempts to capitalize on death itself work all too well. Everything goes up in flames in these final pages and it’s a perfect conclusion to the story.

While the numerous factions and characters could have been better developed, their gruesome endings all feel appropriate. Maybe the specifics of their motives and histories weren’t clear but perhaps they never existed at all. If the people living in the shadow of the Caucasus superstore had a hidden depth, then it wasn’t enough to save them. If nothing else, the story does a good job tying up all the loose ends, causing them to overlap in an organic way before they’re all abruptly cut short.

Shoplifters might not be subtle and it’s easy to see where it stands on a world with chain stores on every street corner. The total failure of everyone’s plans would feel anticlimactic if the conflagration wasn’t so impressive. It’s also perfectly in line with the book’s themes and social commentary. There really is no victory in a society so mired by greed and self-interest.

Stefano Simeone’s art shines one last time, giving the conclusion the right amount of gravitas. The strong layouts and compositions also help keep the story in order. There’s a lot to keep track of and the art not only avoids adding to the potential confusion but helps the reader distinguish what’s going on.

Besides the organizational aspect, Simeone’s art helps bring a sense of tragedy to the ending. As goofy as the plotting and slapstick visuals can get, Nussbaum faithfully reciting his employee handbook in the final pages works well with the images of his desperate struggle. The last few panels of his journey bring it a horrific finality that almost makes Nussbaum sympathetic and ensures the sudden finish feels natural.

Shoplifters Will Be Liquidated could have been a little better put together but it never felt lazy. And in a world so far gone, it’s easy to fall into that. Intelligent, clever writing was paired with some consistently stellar visuals from Simeone. Overall, Shoplifters Will Be Liquidated is another great series from AfterShock Comics, one that has something meaningful to say and an entertaining way of communicating it.