The end has come for this underwater mini-series, but does the creative team succeed in offering something that rises above the tide?  Read on to find out

The official description from Dynamite:

Willing to sacrifice his life, Prince John has unleashed the destructive axis mundi in the heart of Atlantis! With time running out, the Little Mermaid must decide if love is worth living for – or worth dying for! And if that wasn’t bad enough, Vodyanoy is still alive, and he has a bone to pick with the Little Mermaid… literally. Who will survive the fall of Atlantis.

In what can be described as a competent finale there’s still quite a bit of murky water in these shallow depths. I found that the summation of the tale did fit the characters within these pages but as I closed the comic book I was left with an unmistakable dull feeling as I was regrettably disappointed.

Matt Sturges pens the script and the scribe gives us a rather light read that makes good use of its time while employing a few deserved twists in this sordid affair.  I found that the author ended his odyssey with a firm grasp and sense of direction but the rush to be different brought forth questionable instances that I just did not agree with.  As I attempt not to spoil the final moments there was closure and more than enough lingering plot to build from but it just didn’t ring right with me.

The art birthed by Jean-Paul Deshong delivers a strong visual sense.  From the first page to the final panel his pencil strokes did enough to keep the tale both vibrant and interesting.  There were a few bits where an overly chaotic nature gave way to some less than ideal images but for the most part I enjoyed what this seasoned talent turned in.

Damsels: Mermaids #5 is a conclusion with elements to its narrative that I simply don’t agree with.  With that said however I can’t deny that the whole of package was put together well enough to earn a light recommendation from me.

3/5