Black Adam #5 - DC

The first book of the new year . . and what a way to start it out. Although I really enjoy Peter J Tomasi's story here, to me, the part of this book that shines the most is Doug Mahnke's pencils. First of all, look at that cover. It's gorgeous. And the interior art is even better. The pictures of Black Adam underwater, looking for the piece of Isis' amulet were beautifully drawn. A fantastic use of colors and shadows. This issue, Black Adam is looking for all of the pieces of the Amulet that were scattered across the globe. His hope is that with the amulet, and the bones of her corpse, he's going to be able to bring his beloved back to life. And really that's what this whole thing, all along, has been about. His rampage started shortly after Isis was killed. At first he lashed out at Bialya, for offering aid to the Four Horsemen. He was a bit extreme. World War III extreme. But then, he calmed down. He realized that it was the love of his life that turned his life around. And her loss that ruined it. So, having given his powers to Mary Marvel, he using the magics left in his beloveds bone to complete his task. Which is, to find the amulet, all of her bones, and bring her back to life. But the world is closing in on him. As we saw last issue, the JLA had developed a way, with their satellite, to track the lightning when Teth Adam transformed. Well the "normals" wanted a way to track him to, so when he was in the form of Teth, they shot him with some Uranium coated rounds so they could also track him. And Teth knows that he's not going to receive any sympathy from anyone. He's fully aware of all the sins and transgressions he committed. He's talking to Albert, and he tells him, " . . in the netherworld I will be deprived of my sensory organs and forced to eat my own excrement for all eternity. My soul and shadow will be burned in a cauldron of hellfire, and I will be forced to swim in the blood of my victims." Pretty graphic description there. But at least he understands the consequences of his actions. On the final page, Black Adam has gone to Antarctica for the final piece of the Amulet. As he's pounding through the ice, he finds himself surrounded by the human guard that has vowed to bring him down. This is a fantastic piece of work. And I can't wait to see how they wrap it up next issue.