BLADE RUNNER 2039 #6, from Titan Comics on 8/23/23, finds Luv taking Rash out for a test drive to find Ash, Cleo, and Isobel Selwyn. Meanwhile, Cleo’s injuries force Ash to take a risk to find help.
The Details
- Written by: Mike Johnson
- Art by: Andres Guinaldo
- Colors by: Marco Lesko
- Letters by: Jim Campbell
- Cover art by: Alan Quah (cover A)
- Comic Rating: Teen+
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: August 23, 2023
Is It Good?
BLADE RUNNER 2039 #6 tightens the net around Ash’s plan to find Isobel Selwyn to give her the replicant research before Niander Wallace’s creations find them first. Mike Johnson’s script builds the paranoid feeling of urgency and tension as Luv and Rash draw closer to their target while Ash runs into one bad development after another, slowing her progress to find Isobel.
When last we left Ash and Cleo, their choice of using an old pickup and backroads to get to San Francisco ran them afoul of trigger-happy raiders. Cleo was shot on the cliffhanger. Now, Ash has no choice but to take a chance and a detour for help. Meanwhile, Rash proves she takes after her namesake when she finds information Luv’s heavy-handed detective skills cannot.
Overall, this was a solid issue that pulls the noose tighter around Ash’s neck, metaphorically speaking. The convolutions of character appearances and conflicting motives are starting to make the arc feel complicated, but if you’re willing to put in a little effort, the richness of the story pays off, especially with a surprise cliffhanger that calls back to a previous arc.
What’s great about this comic? Rash quickly establishes herself as a credible, intriguing threat to Ash, and her less-than-respectful attitude towards Luv adds a layer of drama on top of an already dramatic series. The overall plot doesn’t move forward much, since Luv and Rash are playing catch-up, but the sequence of their investigation holds up as interesting storytelling.
What’s not so great about this comic? With each issue, Mike Johnson adds more characters and more developments with more twists and turns, so it’s starting to get a little complicated for casually reading. That’s not to say Johnson’s writing is confusing, but the amount of plot you have to hold in short-term memory to remember who’s who and what’s what gets a little overwhelming in spots.
How’s the art? Andres Quinaldo’s pencils/inks are outstanding, particularly in the finer details of the backgrounds and technology. The world feels futuristic and lived-in at the same time, which gives the setting a worn personality that matches the dystopian atmosphere.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our BLADE RUNNER 2039 #5 review to find out how Cleo met a terrible fate.
We begin with Lexi arriving back at the pickup truck with a local farmer offering assistance to treat Cleo’s wounds. It’s not much, but Cleo’s wounds are not as lethal as Ash thought, so the farmer graciously offers enough triage to help Cleo while Ash decides to go to Sand Francisco alone.
Meanwhile, Luv and Rash talk to witnesses at the sight of the spinner crash, but they find nobody will give them a true answer. Rash concludes the best course is to find Isobel Selwyn before Ash, so they seek out Alexander Selwyn’s old colleagues. During one of the visits, they find more than they bargained for when Hythe shows up for the same reasons and with a very big gun.
We conclude the issue with ruined furniture, a retirement milestone, and the consequences of an old case.
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Final Thoughts
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BLADE RUNNER 2039 #6 ramps up the urgency and layers of dramatic tension as Rash proves her worth as a detective and Ash gets into increasingly hotter water. Johnson’s writing execution and Guinaldo’s art are excellent, but the number of twists and turns in the plot is becoming unwieldy.
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