GEIGER #6, by Image Comics on 9/11/24, finds Barney grappling with the trauma he experienced at the hands of The Electrician when he gets a helping hand (or four) from a zoo gorilla.
Credits:
- Writer: Geoff Johns
- Artist: Gary Frank
- Colorist: Brad Anderson
- Letterer: Rob Leigh
- Cover Artist: Gary Frank, Brad Anderson (cover A)
- Publisher: Image Comics
- Release Date: September 11, 2024
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Page Count: 24
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of Geiger #6:
First Impressions:
Geiger #6 is a perfectly fine issue. Still, readers turning on to the series may be disappointed with the increasingly directionless plot, slow pace, and obsessive focus on character studies. There’s nothing wrong with building up a character, Barney in this case, but that character work should be integrated into the plot, not replacing it.
Plot Analysis:
When last we left the Glowing Man and Nate the Nuclear Knight in Geiger #5, they heeded the call of The Electrician to save the Glowing Man’s dog, Barney. After a brutal, knockdown, drag-out fight, Barney was saved, and The Electrician was down for the count. Meanwhile, the President sent more hunters to bring the Glowing Man in.
In Geiger #6, we find Tari Geiger and Nate the Nuclear Knight giving Barney all the space and food he could want while he recovers from the abuse he suffered at the hands of The Electrician. Despite the offer of a king’s feat, Barney remains despondent and won’t eat. Geiger decides to let the dog rest in peace before setting out in the morning to continue their quest for a cure.
Geoff Johns starts the issue on a unique note by serving up an aftermath story that is framed mostly from Barney’s point of view. It’s well known that pets can suffer from trauma as much as any human, but Johns’s novel approach to explore how Barney grapples with and eventually resolves that trauma is a rarity.
During the night, Barney gets up and leaves their shelter in pursuit of a nearby animal noise. He spots a three-eyed zebra calf and decides to follow it. The calf leads Barney to the body of its dead parents, killed by nearby poachers who are still shooting at anything that moves. Barney and the calf quietly sneak back to the zebra family’s point of origin – the local zoo.
Barney quickly scans the surroundings as the hunters approach. Suddenly, a furry arm grabs Barney and pulls him into the bushes. Manco, the four-armed gorilla who speaks sign language, urges Barney to hide and keep quiet when the hunters are nearby. When the hunters enter the zoo and set up camp, we hear about their exploits in killing mutant animals and capturing Pure animals for meat or sale.
Through Manco’s “dialog and the chatter overheard by the hunters, Barney gets a different picture of life from the perspective of other animals. Again, it’s a novel approach by Geoff Johns, and it works in a similar vein to Planet of the Apes.
The issue concludes with the hunters finding Barney’s zebra friend, an inspired revolt, and a trio becoming a quartet.
Overall, Geoff Johns delivers a thoughtful, inspirational tale about a dog who leads his animal friends to overcome their oppressors. That said, the main plot of the series is on hold (again), which may leave readers feeling like Johns can’t decide if this is supposed to be a serialized or episodic series.
Artwork and Presentation:
If you’re familiar with Gary Frank’s exquisitely detailed work, you know exactly what you’re going to get – exquisite art. If you’re not familiar with Gary Frank’s artwork, now you know. Frank’s attention to detail and texture is astounding, with a focus on surreal realism that’s unmatched.
Art Samples:
The Bigger Picture:
Series Continuity:
We know from Ghost Machine marketing materials that Geiger, Junkyard Joe, and Redcoat will intersect at some point for a crossover, but that timing has yet to become clear. Junkyard Joe was teased briefly in the previous issue, but there’s no mention of him in this issue or what events will cause the three characters to come together.
Final Thoughts:
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Geiger #6 is a beautifully rendered and surprisingly thought character piece about Geiger’s dog. The tale of inspiration will make you feel warm and fuzzy, but the inspiration comes at the expense of a plot that has moved in ages. This series is treading water, but you feel good doing it.
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