Same deal as last time - since this book is part of a collection, I’ll only be reviewing things particular to this volume, not things across the entire arc so far.

Things I Liked

1. Hornet/Vespa Twist: Other reviewers have described the twist as a deus ex machina, and while I can see that, I also enjoyed it. It was an interesting way to bring in more characters, develop Hornet’s character a little bit more, and also throw in some morally grey actions.

2. Further Downspiral of Survivor: Survivor’s been a threat in previous volumes, but in this one, I really felt that his pride and power were really becoming a terrifying alternative to the Plutonian. It provides some interesting opportunities to think about power, morality, and egotism.

Things I Didn’t Like

1. Modeus/Plutonian Attraction: I’m all for putting more LGBT+ characters in comics, but something about the way it’s handled in this comic is unsettling to me. I felt like Modeus’ sexuality only underscored his villainy, and while I don’t want to suggest that villains can’t be LGBT+, I also don’t want only villains to be LGBT+.

2. Narrative Fluidity: Because the narrative goes out into space and jumps around to various planets, there were times when I was confused as to what was happening. A little more support would have been helpful.

3. Disappearing Characters: This volume also sees a lot of characters disappear from the main narrative. Qubit, Survivor, and Kaidan stick around for main events, but Gil and Bette seem to just exit the scene.

Recommendations: Same as previous volumes (see my other reviews).