Dante Ramon is determined to rescue his brother, Paco/Vibe from the DEO and forces Dale Gunn to assist him. Amanda Waller seems to have formed a shocking theory about Gypsy, which if it’s true could be a huge reveal… but I don’t think it is. Dale and Dante hatch an elaborate plan to free Vibe, but it goes insanely wrong when the DEO intervenes and Vibe must free all of the other captive interdimensional beings being held, including a bevvy of Easter Eggs, many of which I didn’t even recognize, but among them were Pariah, Lady Quark, the Demons Three, the Warlock of Ys, Azrael and Phantasm. If anyone recognizes any of the others, feel free to comment below! Ultimately, Vibe and his allies come face to face with a powerful and lethal threat, whose identity flips this series on its head! And someone gets badly hurt… perhaps fatally.
The art by Pete Woods and Sean Parsons is crisp and sharp with vibrant colors by Brad Anderson. It’s excellent, especially as the action ramps up toward the end. The look shifts from more subtle, traditional layouts to over-the-top, high energy with erratic panels and bold energy bolts flying everywhere, throwing the reader into the thick of things.
Another thing I like about the art is that it’s accessible. It’s pretty! It’s bold, dynamic and really pops, but it’s just nice to look at, which this underdog of a book needs.
One of the complaints I have about ‘Captain Marvel’ is that it’s a hard sell. Marvel is trying to position this character as one of its leads, but as nice as the artwork really is, it’s not accessible like the art here is. It’s challenging and can be unappealing to the more casual readers. With Vibe formerly being a laughing stock, this book was also a hard sell, but it could easily be enjoyed strictly on a visual level.
Luckily, there’s more to offer. Dante has a nice arc here as he, the “loser” brother, tries to make good by rescuing his brother. Cisco and Gypsy are also endearing characters and even hard-nose Dale Gunn proves increasingly appealing. The overall storyline is fun. The hint Waller drops could really push this book into an exciting direction, but as of right now, I think this book is coasting a bit too much on the likeability of its characters. But we’re still building, so things could turn around. And like I said it’s “nice” so at least it’s not “bad.” It’s better than average, but doesn’t push the envelop toward great yet.
VIBE #6
Written by Sterling Gates
Pencils by Pete Woods
Cover by Brett Booth
