THE MADNESS #5, by AWA Studios on 12/13/23, wonders aloud what price Sarah will pay for revenge when her next target is the Middle Eastern officials who demanded the American government take her life.
The Details
- Written by: J. Michael Straczynski
- Art by: ACO, David Lorenzo
- Colors by: Marcel Maiolo
- Letters by: Sal Cipriano
- Cover art by: ACO
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: December 13, 2023
Is THE MADNESS #5 Good?
It’s amazing what an experienced writer can do with a straightforward revenge tale. In THE MADNESS #5, J. Michael Straczynski takes a pause to let Sarah/Raven consider where her revenge quest will ultimately lead before jumping right back into the action with snipers, elite mercenaries, and dragons(?).
When last we left Sarah/Raven, her fight against Astraea ended in a stalemate, prompting Astraea to return to her own dimension to leave the Earth to suffer for what it did to Sarah/Raven. Now, Sarah/Raven takes a brief break to heal and consider what the future holds when her quest is done and how many people she needs to kill to get to the end. For now, the answer is “more,” and Sarah/Raven sets her sights on the Middle Eastern leaders who demanded her death and the Council of Justice members who guard them.
Yes, there are dragons here. With each issue, Straczynski conjures an imaginative cast of superheroes to stand in Sarah/Raven’s way, and this time, the dragon plays a bigger part in Sarah/Raven’s future.
What’s great about THE MADNESS #5? Feelings. Emotions. Straczynski delivers the good with clever, hard-hitting action AND gives you a reason to sympathize with the crushing grief that drives Sarah/Raven on her revenge quest. It would be easy to rinse and repeat against a succession of opponents, but Straczynski takes the extra step of making what Sar/Raven feels just as important as what she does.
What’s not so great about THE MADNESS #5? Beyond a minor nitpick or two, there’s no downside to this comic. At most, Straczynski introduces a character named Shade, who might be interesting to get to know, but he’s dispatched before that happens, so it feels like a minor setup without a payoff. Still, that minor quibble has no real impact on the plot.
How’s the art? Fantastic. ACO and Lorenzo deliver cinematic camera angles, gritty super heroics, and dramatic acting from the characters through their figure work and gestures. This comic looks as great as it reads.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s THE MADNESS #5 About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our THE MADNESS #4 review to find out which Council of Justice member is just as strong as Raven.
We begin with Sarah and Raven “talking” on a park bench two weeks after the battle with Astraea. Raven urges Sarah to consider her endgame and how many people she needs to kill until her quest is done. She also asks why Sarah is taking so long to get back on the hunt. A random interaction with a little girl and her ball helps Sarah remember why.
Years earlier, a woman meets a power broker in the heat of a Middle Eastern cafe. She gives the man a lot of money to arrange a duel-to-the-death between herself and the Djinn and for the information on how to kill him. The woman knows whoever kills the man assumes ownership of a powerful dragon.
We conclude the issue with overconfident politicians, history repeating itself, and a final sunrise.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
(Click this link 👇 to order this comic)
THE MADNESS #5 is a near-perfect blend of gritty, hard-hitting action and heartfelt drama when Sarah/Raven’s revenge quest leads them to their next target. Straczynksi’s blend of character work and action is masterful, and the art team’s visuals pack a wallop.
We hope you found this article interesting. Come back for more reviews, previews, and opinions on comics, and don’t forget to follow us on social media:
If you’re interested in this creator’s works, remember to let your Local Comic Shop know to find more of their work for you. They would appreciate the call, and so would we.
Click here to find your Local Comic Shop: www.ComicShopLocator.com
As an Amazon Associate, we earn revenue from qualifying purchases to help fund this site. Links to Blu-Rays, DVDs, Books, Movies, and more contained in this article are affiliate links. Please consider purchasing if you find something interesting, and thank you for your support.