THE ENFIELD GANG MASSACRE #5, by Image Comics on 12/13/23, brings (almost) all the secrets into the light when Enfield learns who really killed Bill Barley and why.
The Details
- Written by: Chris Condon
- Art by: Jacob Phillips
- Colors by: Jacob Phillips
- Letters by: Jacob Phillips
- Cover art by: Jacob Phillips
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: December 13, 2023
Is THE ENFIELD GANG MASSACRE #5 Good?
Out of options, Chris Condon leads Enfield to the end of his rope in a revelatory penultimate issue that sets up an impossible-to-guess finale next month. Will Enfield escape the hangman’s noose, or will the real killer’s motive expose the true evil behind Bill Barley’s murder?
When last we left the Enfield Gang, Enfield and his few surviving cohorts were cornered in a barn with the Ranger’s posse waiting outside. Meanwhile, Amy’s band of refugees was ambushed, and the Sheriff’s investigation began to bear fruit.
Now, Enfield learns from an unlikely source who really killed Bill Barley. The Sheriff almost comes to the same conclusion through his investigation. And Amy’s survival spells trouble for her husband.
To be clear, this issue nearly spells out who is involved in Bill Barley’s murder, but you don’t learn the details behind why. It’s a sure bet the guilty party killed Bill as part of a larger plan, but the plan’s purpose is still a mystery.
What’s great about THE ENFIELD GANG MASSACRE #5? In terms of plot structure, this issue qualifies as the “All Hope Is Lost” moment, and Condon certainly achieves that effect. Enfield’s a criminal, and he’s about to get hanged, but it’s through Condon’s miraculous character work that you want Enfield to get away because his hanging would be unjust. When you care about a character, especially in their lowest moment, that’s a writing success.
What’s not so great about THE ENFIELD GANG MASSACRE #5? The identity of Bill Barley’s killer(s) is made clear, but Condon frustratingly tap dances around the question of why. If Condon doesn’t pay off the reveal in the next issue (the finale), an otherwise outstanding mini-series will have fumbled the landing.
How’s the art? Jacob Phillips’s bloody, sweltering noir style keeps getting better and better. Admittedly, some of the detail is lost in scenes doused with blood, but Phillips’s composition is as cinematic as it gets.
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What’s THE ENFIELD GANG MASSACRE #5 About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our THE ENFIELD GANG MASSACRE #4 review to find out how Amy found herself in a jam.
We begin with Danny, L.Q., and Enfield trapped in a barn with the Mowbray, the Ranger, and their posse waiting outside. Suddenly, Danny is overcome with grief and hysterics over his part in the massacre. L.Q. shoots Danny and laughs when he tells Enfield about their part in this mess.
Meanwhile, the Sheriff questions the town undertaker, Mr. Paulson, who attests Bill Barley’s killer took his time and pleasure in the killing. Paulson would be willing to swear Enfield had nothing to do with Barley’s death.
We conclude the issue with a shootout, bait, and a startling conclusion.
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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THE ENFIELD GANG MASSACRE #5 brings Enfield down low when his bid for freedom comes to a bloody end. Chris Condon’s twists and turns will keep you riveted, and Phillips’s art blisters with blood and heat.
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