Blow Away has been one of the comic books that has grabbed my attention the most this year. Zac Thompson and Nicola Izzo have filled this comic book with great tension. The feeling of not knowing what will happen as you flip the page has been well done. Now we are at the finale of this story. I got the chance to check out the final chapter of this mini-series. Find out how it turned out with our advance review of Blow Away #5.
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Zac Thompson
Artist: Nicola Izzo
Colorists: Francesco Segala and Gloria Martinelli
Letterer: DC Hopkins
BLOW AWAY #5 SOLICITATION
“As Brynne adjusts to life after her grievous injury, the final hour approaches as she revisits the footage of the murder, and things finally become clear.
But when she confronts the culprit with the evidence, she’s offered an alternative, but is making such a choice something she can live with…?” – BOOM! Studios
REVIEW
As soon as you open Blow Away #5 Zac Thompson and Nicola Izzo get you right into experiencing the story through Brynne’s eyes. The way the first four issues of this mini-series set up the finale is what made the way Blow Away #5 was so engaging right away. It’s a credit to the tension Thompson and Izzo have created throughout this story that this is the immediate feeling that is had for this final issue.
Something that is quickly apparent in creating this “be in the moment” feeling was the way Izzo frames the angles for every panel. The way the characters are positioned in every scene gives you a sense of immersion that keeps you in the moment. The scenes that are being filmed, either through a camera or Facetime, in particular standout. The differences in framing between what’s being filmed to in person interactions gives a unique vibe to the presentation.
That presentation style gets you even more invested in following Brynne’s journey now that she is back in Toronto. Even though she was able to get back safely the danger due to the mystery of what really happened to the guy she spotted being possibly killed by his friend is still there. The evidence that Brynne had made it tough for her to just simply give up on the case.
What adds into how Brynne continues to investigate the mystery is how those around her are using the situation. Given the events we know that happened it is not surprising that the story being told to the public is one others are capitalizing on. How that in turn drives Brynne to let go of finding out the truth made the antagonist we see her interact a very interesting addition. The character is developed in a multi-layered way that drives home wanting to see Brynne find the answers to the truth.
The only slight negative to Blow Away #5 is the final panel of this issue. The way the conclusion frames things is not the note that makes the ending hit as hard as it could have. It is not something that impacts the overall experience as this final issue is amazing and just misses being a masterclass.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Blow Away #5 is an excellent conclusion to the narrative Zac Thompson and Nicola Izzo got us invested in from the first issue. The main character’s journey is rewarding as she puts all of her skills to work in order to find out the truth. If you are into suspenseful mystery stories make sure to check out Blow Away when it releases in trade paperback
Story Rating: 9 Night Girls out of 10
Art Rating: 8 Night Girls out of 10
Overall Rating: 8.5 Night Girls out of 10
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