SIRENS GATE #5, by Dynamite Comics on 1/17/24, assembles Tara and her allies to traverse the gates of Hell to find out what lies in the Great Beyond if they survive the trip.
The Details
- Written by: Shannon Maer
- Art by: Shannon Maer
- Colors by: Shannon Maer
- Letters by: Shannon Maer
- Cover art by: Shannon Maer
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: January 17, 2024
Is SIRENS GATE #5 Good?
Shannon Maer brings the supernatural adventure back after a four-month hiatus to send Tara and her mystical friends on a journey she’s the key to unlocking. Issue #4 broke the mold with the wildest plot twist we’ve seen in some time, so the high bar is set.
When last we left Tara and her friends, they received the biggest shock of their lives when Lady Rose revealed the Hell Gate they must transgress won’t lead them into Hell but let them out of Hell. Now, Lady Rose convinces Tara that she’s the key to unlocking the gate because she has a special connection to Sirens, but she better hurry up because the demonic Rein is hot on their trail.
If you didn’t catch the twist or it still isn’t clear, Earth, Tara’s Earth, our Earth is Hell, which acts as a prison for the condemned since the Great Fall. To Maer’s credit, that’s a twist nobody saw coming, but now expectations are sky-high to do something with that twist that makes the read worth it.
What’s great about SIRENS GATE #5? The playing field is wide open for Maer to deliver a grand epic as Tara and her friends traverse planes of existence to wind up… somewhere (no spoilers). Maer crafts a script with wild action, unique visuals, and a strong cliffhanger for an ending.
What’s not so great about SIRENS GATE #5? The big reveal concerning Hell is a wild development, but the goal is much less clear than the journey. Why exactly would Tara want to traverse into Heaven, or the “real” Earth, or whatever lies beyond? If Tara considers her present location home and it doesn’t feel so bad, is she running towards a new world out of simple curiosity? In short, Maer needs to do more work to establish the stakes and motivations for Tara to move forward.
How’s the art? Well, Shannon Maer’s internal pages are consistent with his cover work, which is a positive or a negative depending on your point of view. The figure work and facial acting are as stiff as posed mannequins, and the lettering is cartoonishly overbearing, but the overall aesthetic has a uniquely dreamy quality that suits the tone of the story. In effect, Maer’s art is a mixed bag.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s SIRENS GATE #5 About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our SIRENS GATE #4 review to find out how Tara received the shocking news about her world.
We begin with Tara and Maya meeting in Maya’s store to decide on the next steps and verify if Lady Rose is telling the truth about Hell. Suddenly, Rein attacks the store, forcing Tara and her friends, with Kaelan in tow, to flee. Michael runs down Rein with his jeep to give his friends a head start and a ride to Lady Rose’s mansion.
Lady Rose explains her home was built over an abandoned mine because the lower levels connect to a mystical pool that can act as a portal to the outer worlds when opened by someone with a connection to Sirens. Tara agrees to open the portal just as Rein attacks the mansion.
We conclude the issue with a wild ride, a prophecy, and a new ally.
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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SIRENS GATE #5 returns from the hiatus with a fast-paced adventure to escape Rein the demon and traverse the Gates of Hell. Maer’s script isn’t pulling punches with big ideas, and the art captures Maer’s dreamy aesthetic. That said, Tara’s goals and motivations aren’t well defined, and the figure work is mannequin stiff.
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