We’ve reached the second to final issue for this volume, but does this series start its finale on a high note?  Read on to find out.

The official description from Dynamite:

In “Going Underground,” Thunderbolt is a man on the run. His secret revealed, he finds himself unsure of who or what to trust-including his own senses-and he must push his mind and body to the limit as he faces one of his (literally) oldest foes – the mind-bending Princess Evila!

Since the world got a glimpse of a dragon and the hero that thwarted its advances, everything started to change until humans started to act like themselves. Now that the golden age for Peter Cannon has run its course we find our protagonist between a mob and a villain that’s been plaguing him since the start of this saga.

Steve Darnall and Alex Ross pen the script, and the duo continues to be the literary life blood of this series as it slowly but surely marches toward the conclusion that is literally coming around the bend.  In this outing there are moments of greatness as the dialogue offers subtle revelations but sadly there are let downs as some of the cornier aspects are highlighted much to the detriment of the overall story.  In short: this specific tale isn’t the best the series has to offer but it was solid enough to begin to close off some of those lingering loose ends.

The impressive Jonathan Lau continues to handle the art duties with a level of brilliance that simply elevates this journey to new heights.  With each proverbial pencil stroke he lends credibility and realism to what could easily be dismissed as an unnecessary and overly simplistic affair.  I was especially captivated with the more complex shots that called for a rather outlandish touch, as the talent found a way to deliver them while tempering his execution.

Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt #9 is a release that signifies the forthcoming end of this series.  While it highlights some of the good and bad, it also slowly but surely starts to tie things up.  Recommended.

3.5/5