DJINN HUNTER #5, from Blackbox Comics on November 24th, 2021, concludes the arc with a cataclysmic battle to stop Abyss from becoming god of all the realms. What price will are our heroes willing to pay to stop him?
The Details
- Written By: Jay Sandlin
- Art By: Fabrizio Consentino
- Colors By: Fabrizio Consentino
- Letters By: Fabrizio Consentino
- Cover Art By: Fabrizio Consentino
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Release Date: November 24, 2021
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Was It Good?
DJINN HUNTER #5 is a proper end to a proper and fun series from Sandlin and Consentino. For readers to relate to and root for a hero, the enemy or challenge has to be more powerful than the hero. Something has to be sacrificed or someone has to grow beyond their current state for the greater threat to be defeated. We certainly get that here, and Sandlin does an excellent job of handling the deus ex machina pitfalls better than most.
A deus ex machina is a twist that comes out of nowhere to conveniently resolve a problem or help the hero win. Done poorly, a deus ex machina cheapens the outcome and makes the victory feel unearned. Done correctly, as it is here, the deus ex machina comes at the expense of someone or something else.
Here, there are a couple of convenient twists (the Council’s last gasp of magic, Samira’s wish) that work because they bring the reader right to the edge of believing all is lost before offering a spark of hope. The spark isn’t too big and, again, comes with a cost, so it feels organic to the story and maintains tension.
As for the story as a whole, this is the finale and it hits with a bang. The back-and-forth between heroes and villain is tense, the resolution has consequences for all parties, and the epilogue drops hints for further adventures. The minor down point is the lack of prowess from Abyss during the final battle. For a being who has assumed the mantle of a god, his display of power wasn’t impressive. It would have served the final battle better if Abyss appeared more difficult to beat.
On the art, there’s not enough praise for Consentino’s work in this issue and the series as a whole. The colors are brilliant, the thin, crisp, detailed linework is outstanding, and Consentino’s eye for magic battles is some of the best around.
Again, this is a proper end (for now) to a proper series, and the creative team should be proud of what they’ve turned out.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
If you’re not sure about the challenge Samira, Zara, and Bennu have ahead of them, first read our DJINN HUNTER #4 review.
We begin with a flashback to a world where small, cyclops-like beings are held as servant slaves to a race of minotaurs. When one of the slaves is approached with the promise of a wish, the slave makes his wish using hasty words. As we learn, every wish has a counter-cost and the cost of this wish is a magical loophole that unbinds Abyss from the Council.
Now, Zara, Samira, and Bennu arrive through a portal to meet the Council to find Abyss has stolen all their mantles and left. The Council members are fading quickly but they decide the only way to beat Abyss is to give their remaining magic all to Zara to give her enough power to face him in his realm. If they can retrieve the vessel Zara last, Samira can cast a spell to capture the mantles in the vessel, stripping Abyss of his power.
A powered-up Zara, Samira, and Bennu arrive in Abyss’s realm to face him head-on. During the battle, we see how Abyss controls the mantles as a weapon, we see Bennu invokes a secret power for a desperate maneuver, and we see a final wish made with a heavy cost.
Djinn Hunter #5 Djinn Hunter #5 Djinn Hunter #5
Final Thoughts
DJINN HUNTER #5 is a proper end to a proper series with plenty of twists, action, and emotion. The art is stellar, and the story ends with a heartfelt conclusion that teases the possibility of future stories. This series is a definite recommendation.
Score: 9.5/10
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