ROOK: EXODUS #6, by Image Comics on 10/23/24, concludes the first arc when Rook and his avian allies attack the Ark to stop Ursaw from finding the other Wardens.
Credits:
- Writer: Geoff Johns
- Artist: Jason Fabok
- Colorist: Brad Anderson
- Letterer: Rob Leigh
- Cover Artist: Jason Fabok, Brad Anderson (cover A)
- Publisher: Image Comics
- Release Date: October 23, 2024
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Page Count: 36
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of ROOK: EXODUS #6 :
First Impressions:
Comic creators take note. An arc or story should always end with change, either through one or more characters’ growth or a new status quo. Writer Geoff Johns rightly ends the increasingly great series with a new status quo that resolves Rook’s greatest challenge while opening new avenues to explore. Rook: Exodus #6 is a winner.
Plot Analysis:
When last we left Rook in Rook: Exodus #5, Ursaw tried to smoke Rook out of the nearby woods with an intentionally set forest fire. During the harrowing chase, Rook experiences hallucinations that force him to confront memories of his father, leading to a newfound spirit to fight for the animals of Exodus and fully bond with his flock.
In Rook: Exodus #6, Ursaw’s Ark cuts a savage gash through the forests and fields. Now that he has the Wildlife Grid, Ursaw can locate every Warden on Exodus and kill them for their helmets, giving Ursaw complete control of the planet. What Ursaw’s caravan doesn’t realize until too late is that Rook has an army of his own.
Geoff Johns wastes no time jumping straight into the action to set the pace and energy as high as possible for the arc’s finale. Johns gives Ursaw’s lieutenants a brief scene of dialog to remind readers of the current predicament, but once the action gets going, there’s nothing more to be said.
Rook launches over the caravan from a nearby hill with a tricked-out assault vehicle. Now that Rook has fully bonded with the flock, Warden and the birds act as one to swarm the caravan, blind the drivers, and create general mayhem. Rook unleashes a hail of gunfire from the mini-guns mounted on his vehicle, clearing a path to the Ark.
Imagine the over-the-top spectacle of the Road Warrior, and you’ll get the right idea. Rook is singular in focus and purpose. Now that the flock is on his side, they swarm, weave, and attack as one with Rook’s thoughts. It looks amazing.
Inside the Ark, Ursaw intimidates Dire Wolf with his plans to kill all the Wardens, including her long-thought-dead father. She refuses. To add incentive to his offer, Ursaw promises to spare Carapace, who won’t survive if his men succeed in cracking open his armor. Suddenly, the sidewall of the Ark’s control room explodes inward when Rook arrives to save the day.
Sure, Johns goes for the basic route of having the hero show up in the nick of time to save the damsel in distress, but it works because the setup is completely believable and well-constructed. It’s hard not to get your fist pumping when Rook makes a spectacular entrance.
Rook fires a grappling hook through Ursaw’s shoulder to hook him like a fish. Rook’s vehicle remotely yanks Ursaw outside to the hull of the Ark, buying Dire Wolf time to reclaim her helmet and race down the hall to stop the men working to crack Carapace’s armor. Ursaw may have been dragged outside, but the fight is far from over.
The issue concludes with the swarm making a sacrifice, the revelation about Ursaw’s history, and the next era of Exodus’s survival about to begin.
Overall, Rook: Exodus #6 is one of the increasingly rare examples of an arc that finishes much stronger than it started. Many world-building questions (What’s a World Engine, anyway?) remain frustratingly unanswered, but this series has grown on us, thanks to Geoff Johns’s action-packed writing.
Artwork and Presentation:
Rook: Exodus #6 is made all the better by Jason Fabok’s exquisite artistry, jaw-dropping detail, and imaginative visuals. Every panel is a cinematic-quality work of art, and Brad Anderson’s hyperdetailed coloring application is amazing. Ghost Machine earns its reputation as the imprint with the best art around.
Art Samples:
The Bigger Picture:
Series Continuity:
Rook: Exodus #6 may be the end of the arc, but the series isn’t over. The title is going on hiatus but will return sometime in 2025. The exact date is TBD.
Final Thoughts:
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ROOK: EXODUS #6 is a banger of a finale to the first arc with fast-paced action, stunning visuals, and a satisfying conclusion. Geoff Johns leaves some world-building questions unanswered, but he more than makes up for those gaps with edge-of-your-seat thrills. Plus, Jason Fabok’s mesmerizing art is impossibly made better by Brad Anderson’s surgically precise coloring.
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