Written By: Jody Houser
Interiors Drawn By: Ibrahim Moustafa
Interiors Colored By: Jordan Boyd
Lettered By: John Workman
Cover By: Tommy Lee Edwards
Edited By: Molly Mahan
Executive Editor: Mark Doyle
Cover Price: $3.99
On Sale Date: July 25, 2018
Welcome to a look at the FINAL penultimate issue from this, our Young Animal line.
From here on out, folks... it's all farewells, goodbyes, and amens.
The strongest book in the Young Animal line... still is!
Unlike the rest of the line, Mother Panic doesn't feel like it's cramming twelve pounds of story into a six pound bag. Sure, there are signs of truncation... it's to be expected... when something is truncated. The creative team has demonstrated their ability to work within these new paginal restrictions... and keep the story as strong... and, on-point as ever. In fairness to the other books, Mother Panic has always working with shorter arcs.
What we have here is a convergence of everything we've seen so far in this new Gotham. Violet and Fennec reconnoiter with the (I guess we're calling them) Gotham City Sirens (Catwoman, Harley, and all'a dem), and the threats of both the Collective and the Cult of the Bat loom on the horizon.
As this volume draws to an end, Violet engages in ever more soul-searching... which makes me wonder just how (or, if) she's going to make it out of the other end. She's projecting this sort of aloof behavior... partying, and whatnot. When the stark realization that this she might not just be in this Gotham for "a visit" sinks in, the question is raised how she is going to deal with it.
Before now, Violet didn't seem to be all that bothered whether or not this Gotham burned. Now, five-issues in, and whether she likes it or not... this Gotham is now her Gotham, and really... it would be quite silly if she didn't do whatever she can to make things right.
There's also the question of whether or not Mother Panic is a "hero". It's something we've been discussing ever since she darkened our (digital) doorways. She... looks kinda like a hero, and sometimes she even behaves like one. She sure as s*** doesn't f***in' talk like one, but we've already discussed that to death.
In perhaps the strongest scene of this series, and certainly of the issue... Fennec Fox tells Violet that she isn't a "hero". Violet initially goes to shrug it off... before admitting to herself that, for whatever reason, that really hurt her. She never viewed herself as a hero... or at least she claims not to, but... when it comes down to it... Fennec's suggestion bugged her. C'mon, Violet... why ya gotta start getting likable with one damned issue to go???
Bits and Pieces:
If you were to tell me this time last year that Mother Panic would be a book I'd miss when it's gone... I'd have laughed in your face... then, maybe offer you my gig as Mother Panic reviewer. This book has proven to get better with age, truly becoming a book worth reading.
8.0/10
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