Infinity Man and the Forever People #6 Review

Written by: Dan Didio and Keith Giffen
Art by: Tom Grummett and Daniel HDR
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: December 24, 2014

Big Green Monster

If you don't know already, let me break the news...Infinity Man has been cancelled.  It's not a surprise (the sales numbers say so), but it is a shame.  In it's brief run, Keith Giffen and Dan Didio have given readers a unique love letter to Jack Kirby and a pretty fun book to boot.  While I have enjoyed it, I'm not going to pretend that it's perfect.  One of the downers has been that in the previous five issues, the story really hasn't gone anywhere.  The Forever People have kind of been hanging out, going to pool parties and meeting up with the likes of Batcow and Guiy Gardner.  Because of that, I can't really tell you much about the overarching story yet.  I say "yet" fully aware that we only have this issue and three more, but I'm hoping that Didio and Giffen end things with a bang.  Guess what?  It all starts here!

Yes, this issue is a Godhead tie-in, but you really don't need to be reading the Green Lantern Event to enjoy it.  Giffen and Didio do a smart thing by having the Forever People in the dark about Godhead as well.  This issue is more about balls-to-the-wall action, Guy Gardner, Constructs battling like Kaiju and...the Infintity Man!  You read that right, we have an Infinity Man sighting.  I mentioned some of the problems with this series so far, but I left out a really big one.  There hasn't been enough Infinity Man. There's a reason he's first on the marquee...he is awesome and he's in this issue in all his glory.

Last issue left us with Guy Gardner pissed off at the Forever People and a trio of really cool Green Lanterns showing up to make things right.  They are only there for Guy, but unfortunately for everyone, Guy and Mother Box have different ideas.  Infinity Man makes an explosive entrance and him and Guy immediately butt heads.

I'll let you in on a little secret, Guy Gardner is my favorite Lantern.  Always has been, always will be.  The funny thing is, I also love seeing Guy on the wrong end of a beat down.  It's what makes him Guy.  If you are any bit like me, you'll love this issue. The Infinity Man gives Guy a physical and mental beating that ends with Guy lying on the ground with a face full of his own Red Lantern vomit.  I know that sounds disgusting and it is.  It's also so, so great.  What could possibly be any better? How about Infinity Man battling a three Lantern Giant Mecha Darkseid construct?

Oh yea, that just happened.  I don't really know why they went all Darkseid, but I don't care because it was so epic.  Infinity Man does his best Apache Chief impersonation ( "Inyuk-chuk") and it's game on.  Actually, it's more of a standoff until Guy recovers and construct jacks the Lantern Darkseid and then Bam!  Battle Royal through the city.  It doesn't last long, but it has all the appropriate destruction with the aftermath introducing a really interesting character into the book.  I don't want to spoil it, but  I'm sure we will see more of him in the remaining issues.

The issue ends with what I've been waiting for since the first page of the first issue...direction.  As the Forever People gather in what I hope isn't anything like "Central Perk", we get some interesting Infinity Man developments and the group's main focus for the remaining issues.  It's huge, almost impossible and just what this book needs.  I can't wait to see what happens.

If you haven't guessed it yet, I really enjoyed this issue.  It was just so damn fun.  I have enjoyed the series (more than most it would seem), but this issue is the first that really shows it's promise.  I know it may be a case of a little too late, but I really hope that people jump in for the roller coaster ride that is on the horizon.

I don't know why there has been such a revolving door of artists on this book.  It hasn't been a deal breaker mainly because it seems that all of them are trying to grab that same 'Kirby" feel.  That being said, I think this may have been the best looking issue yet.  Tom Grummett and Daniel HDR nail it.  Hi-Fi also does some nailing of his own on colors and the reader really reaps the rewards.  To top it all off, Howard Porter's cover is such action packed awesomeness.

Bits and Pieces:

It's a shame that this book is ending so soon, but this issue makes it that much worse.  Dan Didio and Keith Giffen are just hitting their stride and fans finally get a clear direction of where the Forever People are heading.  We also get a large does of the Infinity Man, a Green Lantern Mecha Darkseid and Guy Gardner, oh my.  Tom Grummett and Daniel HDR make this the best looking issue of the series and I beg everyone who either bailed or avoided this book to give it a second look.  There's only three issues left, but it looks like it's going to be a hell of a ride.

9.4/10