Written by: Michael Dorn
Art by: Sami Basri, Vicente Cifuentes
Colors by: Andrew Dalhouse
Letters by: Rob Leigh
Cover art by: Jon Bogdanove, Hi-Fi
Cover price: $3.99
Release date: November 28, 2023
Steelworks #6 brings John Henry Irons's mini-series to a close with a titanic battle between Steel and the giant remote-controlled robot Walker controls.
Is Steelworks #6 Good?
Okay, not bad. Hats off to Michael Dorn's rookie tour on a DC comic for turning in a relatively solid mini-series with a character who doesn't get nearly enough attention. Steelworks #6 won't blow you away, but Dorn's ending is perfectly good and far better than most premier writers at DC Comics.
When last we left Steel and his technologically enhanced friends, Walker installed the Zero Point Energy (ZPE sphere) in a giant robot as a weapon of remote-controlled destruction. When anyone with powers approaches, the ZPE radiation makes their powers go haywire, creating an unintended defense to make the robot's deadly size even more unstoppable. Now, Steel, Lana, and the rest of the Superfamily pour on the attacks in the hopes of finding a weakness. When nothing works, the team pulls back, but an unexpected ally arrives to give John the insight he needs to mount a defense and bring Walker's mechanized monster down.
The issue has three big surprises to give the finale some wow factor - an unexpected ally's arrival, a discovery about how and who the ZPE affects, and the Eureka moment that saves the day. No spoilers here, but Dorn pulls two of the three off with reasonable satisfaction and believability.
What's great about Steelworks #6? Dorn crafts a finale that does exactly what a finale in a superhero comic should do - deliver a rousing action event with momentum shifts, a few surprises, and a satisfying conclusion. Admittedly, Dorn's issues in the middle of this mini floundered in spots, but he stuck a the landing.
What's not so great about Steelworks #6? Of the three big surprises in this issue, the one that involved a little too much hand-waving and suspension of disbelief is the Eureka moment. After receiving a helpful hint, Steel manages to almost instantly concoct a "vaccine" for the ZPE radiation to allow the Superfamily to fight at full strength. Dorn's solution makes sense, but the path to get there is a Grand Canyon-sized leap.
How's the art? Basri and Cifuentes turn in perfectly reasonable visuals with plenty of action, popping colors from Dalhouse, and an overall energetic aesthetic. That said, Walker's movement came off as comic strip-like at times as he mimics the movement of the mech, so the main villain comes off as silly during what should be more serious moments.
About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.
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Bits and Pieces:
Steelworks #6 brings the mini to a close with surprises, big action, and a satisfying conclusion to tie up all the loose ends. In retrospect, Dorn's first outing as a DC writer is solid, and the art team's efforts elevated this story to be one of the better Dawn of DC offerings.
Steelworks #6 brings the mini to a close with surprises, big action, and a satisfying conclusion to tie up all the loose ends. In retrospect, Dorn's first outing as a DC writer is solid, and the art team's efforts elevated this story to be one of the better Dawn of DC offerings.
8/10
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