SCARLETT #5, by Image Comics & Skybound on 10/9/24, brings the miniseries to a close when Storm Shadow, Scarlett, and Jinx race to keep the glowing sword away from Cobra Commander.
Credits:
- Writer: Kelly Thompson
- Artist: Marco Ferrari
- Colorist: Lee Loughridge
- Letterer: Rus Wooton
- Cover Artist: Marco Ferrari, Lee Loughridge
- Publisher: Image Comics
- Release Date: October 9, 2024
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Page Count: 24
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of SCARLETT #5:
First Impressions:
Please pay close attention, Ladies & Gentlemen, Boys & Girls. Scarlett #5 is a pristine example of how NOT to end a character-centric story. Why? Because is you look at what transpired in Scarlett #5, you realize that the entire story would have taken place whether Scarlett was there or not. In effect, a Scarlett miniseries starring Scarlett made Scarlett irrelevant in her own story. This miniseries is a rare but stunning miss from Image and Skybound.
Plot Analysis:
When last we left G.I. Joe’s greatest spy in Scarlett #4, her undercover mission to aid the Arishikage clan’s quest to recover a mysterious weapon paid off. After a gauntlet of lethal fights against a rival clan, Storm Shadow unveiled their most valuable prize – a glowing sword.
In Scarlett #5, Storm Shadow wields the glowing sword with reverence after proclaiming he’s waited to possess the object his entire life. He uses the word on one attacker to show its power, but the trio of Arishikage members diver for cover when a nearby Cobra helicopter launches a missile at their location.
Writer Kelly Thompson starts the issue on a bizarre note. We know from Storm Shadow’s boasting that the sword has been around for a long time and that it’s a source of great status. That said, why does Cobra Commander want a sword, and if wants the sword so badly, why does he launch a missile at the building where Storm Shadow is holding it?
When Cobra Commander enters the smoking remains of the skyscraper floor, his men question him about the missile. He simply answers that he grew tired of waiting for his men to secure the sword (???). We hear through Cobra Commander’s dialog that the sword is made of or infused with Energon, which is why he wants it. Cobra forces chase Storm Shadow, Jinx, and Scarlett to the edge of a gaping hole in the skyscraper’s wall. They only have two parachutes, so they’re forced to make a death-defying base jump to get to the street below and disappear with the sword.
Why isn’t the entire skyscraper floor in flames after the missile strike? How did Cobra Commander get into the building from the helicopter? How was Scarlett able to catch up with Jinx, against all laws of physics and gravity, after pushing the latter off the ledge and safely opening a parachute before splatting on the concrete below? None of the logistics of this comic makes sense, and it reads like a middle schooler’s fan fiction action film script.
When the Arishikage trio reaches (hits?) the ground, they split up to lose any followers. They plan to rendezvous in three hours at a pre-determined point for extraction. The brief respite gives Scarlett time to make contact with her Joe handler and tell him that she’s staying to support Jinx and keep an eye on the Arishikage.
The issue ends with a pickup, a presentation of a gift, and a re-gift.
Overall, Scarlett #5 confirms this miniseries was ill-conceived, poorly executed, and ultimately eliminated Scarlett’s contribution to the Energon Universe. If you remove Scarlett from the miniseries, nothing about the mission, journey, or outcome changes. In short, everything about this miniseries is wrong.
Artwork and Presentation:
Marco Ferrari’s artwork has improved in crispness and quality over the course of the miniseries to reach better-than-serviceable levels. The wide shot panels still lose much too much detail, but the closeups are very good, and the action is solid.
Art Samples:
The Bigger Picture:
Series Continuity:
In theory, Scarlett is supposed to build up the titular character and add something unique to the interconnected Energon universe. It’s unclear how making Scarlett incidental in her self-titled miniseries that centers on the recovery of a sword makes any of those objectives possible.
Final Thoughts:
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SCARLETT #5 is a pure dud of a finale to a miniseries that was misconceived and mishandled from the beginning. Kelly Thomspon’s script injects nonsensical action to distract away from the fact that Scarlett had no role to play in her own story, but at least the art has steadily improved since issue #1.
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