DAHLIA IN THE DARK #5, from Mad Cave Studios on 4/26/23, finds Donny and Maya running into Ryne for a final showdown. Meanwhile, Ollie’s double-dealing costs him everything.
The Details
- Written by: Joe Carallo
- Art by: Andrea Milana
- Colors by: Andrea Milana
- Letters by: Micah Myers
- Cover art by: Andrea Milana (cover A)
- Comic Rating: Teen+
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: April 26, 2023
Is It Good?
DAHLIA IN THE DARK #5 is the penultimate issue in Joe Corallo’s urban fantasy about a fairy princess on the run with the help of a cynical bagman, and Corallo finally delivers what readers have been waiting for – answers.
Corallo’s story about a “kidnapped” fairy princess has been consistently strong, but the lingering issue is the lack of clarity surrounding the package Donny Dahlia was meant to deliver, who wants it, and why. Now, that issue is fully addressed. The readers are no longer in the dark as much as Donny Dahlia, and you’re now free to enjoy the events as they play out heading into the finale.
Are the answers satisfying? Largely, yes. We learned in the last issue that the box is more important than Princess Maya, and the implications of the box’s possession are world-affecting. When the box’s true nature is spelled out here, the stakes suddenly become massive. As a nitpick, it would have served the story better to get information about the box sooner (see Hitchcokck’s “ticking bomb” theory), but better late than never.
Andrea Milana’s art is great in this issue. There are a few moments where big, grandiose action takes place, and Milana handles it well. You get a few explosions, very large magical manifestations, and at least two mind trips. Milana carries it all off well to give you the most creative art in the series to date.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our DAHLIA IN THE DARK #4 review to learn what Princess Maya did to cross the uncrossable line.
We begin with a flashback to Donny’s early days as a bagman and contract employee to Ollie. Now, we see Ollie feeding the same empty promises of assurance to Molly if she helps to recover Princess Maya and the package. Suddenly, Ollie’s mind is transported to a meeting with the fairy council, where they make it clear they have lost faith in his ability to finish the job.
Elsewhere, Donny and Princess Maya continue looking for a safe place to hide when they encounter Ryne on the road with a bazooka. Maya uses her magic to subdue Ryne, and Donny uses the opportunity to get the truth behind Ryne’s employer.
We conclude the issue with the story behind the story, Earth-changing consequences, and a plan.
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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DAHLIA IN THE DARK #5 delivers the goods in a penultimate issue with explosions, magic, mind warps, and most importantly – answers. Corallo’s script perfectly sets up a big finale, and the art team produces the most creative visuals of the arc.
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