ARMY OF DARKNESS VS. REANIMATOR: NECRONOMICON RISING #5, from Dynamite Comics on November 30th, 2022, concludes the limited series with screeching Deadites, flying limbs, dark magic, and ironic endings.
The Details
- Written by: Erik Burnham
- Art by: Eman Cassallos
- Colors by: Jorge Sutil
- Letters by: Troy Peteri
- Cover art by: Tony Fleecs (cover A)
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: November 30, 2022
Is It Good?
If you read the description blurb above and you’re familiar with both Army of Darkness and Reanimator, then you already know ARMY OF DARKNESS VS. REANIMATOR: NECRONOMICON RISING #5 ends on a high note. Deadites, gore, and snark. Oh, My!
In fairness, this tall tale from Erik Burnham has leaned very far into the sci-fi/horror genre in the last few issues, so the supernatural horror elements have been lacking. Now, the trio of Ash, Wyrdie, and West are in a full-on sprint to escape Future West’s megalomaniacal machinations and get back home by fully leaning into the horror elements. West, as per usual, puts his relentless need to further his experiments over escape, but Burnham’s solution cleverly ties up all the loose threads while leaving room for future adventures.
The bigger surprise of the issue isn’t the conclusion but the ending. West winds up in an unexpected location with a twist that should make Lovecraft fans happy. Likewise, Ash winds up in a very different location that should make Army of Darkness fans happy. Sure, you could accuse Burnham of relying on fan service to create a satisfying ending, but it works.
Cassallos and Sutil deliver another fine collection of visuals for this finale. The Deadites are menacing, the blood flows copiously, and the action is frenetic. Burnham’s pacing moves the finale along briskly, but the art team elevates the speed significantly with fast-paced transitions and energetic art.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our ARMY OF DARKNESS VS. REANIMATOR: NECRONOMICON RISING #4 review to find out what happened when Past West finally confronted Future West.
We begin where issue #4 left off. Past West killed Future West and claimed the Necronomicon for himself. Ash and Wyrdie demand Past West hand over the book so they can open a portal home, but Past West realizes the future is the paradise he always wanted with himself in charge. When it looks like the trio will come to blows, Future West reconstitutes, thanks to the perfected reagent in his blood, and attacks.
The trio runs for it, but only makes it to the lobby before they’re intercepted by Future West and his security guards. Cornered, Ash concocts a plan by using the curse attached to him as the Chosen One.
We conclude the issue with Deadites, Deadites, and more Deadites, and all things back where they belong.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
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ARMY OF DARKNESS VS. REANIMATOR: NECRONOMICON RISING #5 ends the limited series on a high note with energetic action, fast-paced story progression, and a shameless-yet-satisfying amount of fan service.
Related Information
How scary is Re-Animator?
Re-Animator is scary enough to earn an NC-17 rating when it first debuted in theaters due to graphic violence, blood, and gore. In other words, it’s not jump-scary or atmospheric-scary. It’s gross-scary.
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