| Comic Review | Paul Milligan |
Breach
#8
Writer: Bob Harras
Pencils: Marco Martin
Inks: Alvaro Lopez
Colorist: Javier Rodriguez Studio
Letterer: Clem Robbins
Rating: 5/5
Plot:
Following last issue’s cliffhanger, Breach takes on the
monster unleashed by the evil organization known as the
H.I.V.E. And if that wasn’t enough, Superman shows up for
the first time after getting severely trounced by Breach in
issue #4.
Comments:
When we last left Major Zanetti (aka Breach) he had taken
quite a beating at the hands of the terrifying Rifters and
was on his last legs when Talia and Lex Luthor unleashed a
terrible genetic monstrosity for field testing.
The monster smacks around Zanetti, whose had no time to
recover from his last battle. He seemingly has very little
energy left with which to effectively fight back. But then
the alien virus that has been threatening to take control of
Zanetti emerges. Zanetti blasts the genetically enhanced
monster backwards and begins to tear it apart. Reveling in
his victory Zanetti holds the beast’s heart for all to see.
Suddenly Zanetti regains his senses and, fearing the harm he
may cause to innocent bystanders, transports himself to a
remote forest. After obliterating half the forest in rage
and frustration Zanetti is confronted by Superman, who last
appeared, and was beaten senseless by Zanetti, in issue 4.
Zanetti tells Superman (or Groovy Guy as he calls him,
having just recently returned to our world after being
missing for twenty years and thus never seeing the emergence
of the superhero population) that he can feel the urge to
kill building inside him and it’s something he can’t stop.
Superman offers his help but the virus within Zanetti
reemerges and he attacks Superman.
The two fight once again, with Zanetti goading Superman into
using more and more force. While the alien mind seems to be
trying to kill Superman, it is Zanetti, reemerging
periodically during the battle, who appears desperate for
Superman to stop him at all costs.
So how will the rematch end? Will Superman be able to defeat
Zanetti without destroying him? And will Zanetti emerge
whole or will he succumb to the alien desires to wipe out
the weak things wherever he encounters them?
Breach is easily one of my favorite new comics of 2005. Each
issue continues to get better and better. Writer Bob Harras
has crafted a story that is both unique (though
interestingly the book started as a Captain Atom revamp) and
intriguing. From issue to issue the reader has to wonder
whether Major Zanetti will be able to come to grips with the
tremendous power that has been forced on him. And the
artwork by Marcos Martin is almost enough by itself to make
the book worth reading from month to month.
It’s a shame this book is getting cancelled with issue #11.
Special thanks go out to Jeremy Shorr, owner of Titan Comics for allowing us to use his advance preview books for review purposes.
