Fanboys Anonymous

Men of Wrath #5 cover by Garney and Milla

"Wrath's End"

The concluding issue of Jason Aaron's and Ron Garney's creator-owned work Men of Wrath lives up to the blood-saturated issues we have seen so far.

Succinctly summed up by Aaron on the final page, Men of Wrath is about a family curse passed from father to son for four generations. Ultimately, a whole lot of people get killed. The cold hard close that wraps up this issue mirrors the dramatic opening from issue #1. Death abounds in all those pages.

Given the setup from the preceding issue, I had hoped to see Reuben last a little longer, but I don't feel put out by the twist Aaron has in the opening pages of issue #5. It is consistent with the tone and feel of the series. The story achieves satisfactory closure in this issue, and that satisfaction is compounded by the well-balanced pace of the issue, which tips explosive action against familial drama.

Aaron plays up the dramatic use of completely blank and black pages in this issue. The cutaways these provide not only denote a lapse in time during the course of the events but also build a sense of suspense for the reader. Couple this with a lift in the narrated voice of Ira Rath throughout the issue, not just at the beginning or end as in previous issues, and it is a fitting way to close the series.

No good can come from this...

Because of the quick action and pace produced in this issue, Garney uses a relatively smaller number of panels per page. This focuses the action, speeding it up, forcing each page to give up the most it can from an artistic point of view. Garney's heavy ink work continues to bring an air of gravitas to the pages. Men fighting seem harder, more edgy and gritty as a result. When these images are colored by Matt Milla, the outcome is solid and hefty artwork that feels right at home with the story.

Among all the killing brilliantly brought to life by Garney and Milla, Aaron is telling a story with some poignancy to it. Ira Rath is trying to find some small sense of redemption, along with a healthy dose of retribution. There is some paternal caring, which we could have suspected from Ira's actions in the previous issue; this is really highlighted by Ira's relief and interaction with Lizzie in the final few pages.

Ira Rath's in a world of trouble

Aaron's ability to inspire unique voices for each character elicits a meaningful response from readers of Men of Wrath. A sense of belonging and familiarity echoes from the page, and the real-life connection that Aaron has to this story illustrates why a tale that began with some mangy sheep could be spun to equate with a murder-filled family that seems on death's doorstep.

Ultimately, though, as the solicitation line for this issue reads, someone must die. It is the Rath way. All good things must come to an end, and Men of Wrath goes out on a high. As a very limited series, this was a good, mature read. It wasn't bogged down intellectually but delivered on the premise on which it was established. Aaron and Garney pull off a suburb comic experience that will only become better as a collected edition.

Bloody to the bitter end

I thoroughly enjoyed this series; it will leave a gaping whole in my monthly pull-list. We want to hear what you think. Did you enjoy this issue of Men of Wrath? Or the whole series? What do you think about it now compared to the first issue? What do you think of Garney and Milla's artwork? Make sure you leave a comment below or on the Fanboys Anonymous Facebook or Twitter.