The team behind The Terrifics #25 deserves an Eisner award for their execution of this issue. Bar none, I have not read a piece of pulp like this in a long time. Gene Luen Yang has managed to create some of the most inventive and stylized storytelling that offered me almost an hour and then some of fun while reading this issue. This single issue offers more bang for your buck than a lot of trade paperbacks. Consistently, each part of the story is vivid and fun while never falling into the trap of predictability.
DC Comics
The art by Dan Mora is a masterclass in capturing perfect shots of action in completely singular storytelling. Each variation of the story yields into these great strands where some of them result in different versions, while others manage to just lead to the same conclusion. Mora’s panel layouts are inventive and a thrill as to how he organizes the interweaving plots. A favorite is a leitmotif of using a repeated panel within different plot lines of this issue, which are a treat to see how time can almost repeat itself.
The duo of colorist Ivan Plascencia and letterer Tom Napolitano bring this execution perfectly to life. The colors are bold and brilliant, but also wonderfully accent specific characters by their own distinct color thread. Moreso, the lettering by Napolitano provides a perfect bowtie on how successful this issue is.
DC Comics
While this is a gimmick for a lot of books, this choice offers layers upon the storyline along with the characters. Mr. Terrific is capable of enacting a T-infinity protocol, that allows him to traverse through multiple options and explore how each option goes. It’s an ingenious means of storytelling that isn’t just to serve as an artifice. While the book’s premise of being a choose your own adventure is a joy, the depth that it manages to bring towards the series is fantastic. This is the most innovative and “indie” issue of comics coming from the big two publishers.
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