Harvest #5 Review

The final issue in the mini-series, Harvest #5 offers the conclusion to the story of Benjamin Dane. So, was it a good run? What are the possibilities for a future return; this final issue threads more than enough potential into the plot.

The official description from Image:

The bad news? Everything is going wrong for ex-Dr. Benjamin Dane. His patient has been kidnapped. The FBI is closing in on him and he’s bleeding out in a motel bathroom. The only thing that can save him now is vast amounts of luck, his Yakuza bodyguard and the six-year-old kid on his shoulder.

Harvest #5 is the end of the series, so even without spoilers, its safe to say that things get resolved by the end of the issue. Harvest is a thrill ride seeped in dark undertones, and Harvest #5 is no different. Its gritty and morbid, but not without a sub-plot about redemption.

However, for a final issue, Harvest #5 is full of far too many plot twists and revelations. Whilst the plot devices regarding Ben’s patient and any other medical issues suit the story perfectly, there are a few other big reveals that simply aren’t needed. The cop chasing Ben, Ben’s real name and the entire ending are all examples of too much exposition. They’re not needed and many of them simply aren’t relevant. Plot twists for the sake of having plot twists almost ruins a deeper and darker story in true M. Night Shyamalan fashion.

Yet despite all these plot-turns, nothing actually seems to happen. For a series that has its share of action and morbid imagery, the actual ending is surprisingly passive. It also seems to leave room for a returning series, like many of the pointless plot twists throughout the issue; it certainly feels as if the title is consciously trying to leave itself open.

As a whole, however, the series has been a success. Its dark and gritty, both in plots and consistent artwork. That said, I could happily read issues #1 through #4 as a semi-conclusive story. The idea of Ben dying on the bathroom floor seems a more fitting ending, as it certainly added suspense, drama and a cathartic impact. Yet its quick resolution and new ending in issue #5 doesn’t do the series the justice it deserves at times.