It’s the end of the first story arc in Peter Panzerfaust but does this concluding issue earn a series continuation?  Read on to find out.

The official description from Image:

“THE GREAT ESCAPE,” Conclusion

Paris isn’t safe. The plan failed. A journey that began with promise comes crumbling down when the Nazi’s take the capital and France plunges into occupation. With nowhere to run, the Lost Boys make their final stand.

It’s fair to call this issue an epilogue, as the creative team uses these pages to wrap up their inaugural story arc.  Instead of worrying about action or rushing the characters into further confrontation, this tale focuses in on the somber emotions that easily flow from the previous release.  Peter Panzefaust #4 progressed the series in the right direction, while Peter Panzerfaust #5 cements what happened and allows it to simmer.

Kurtis J Wiebe deserves a lot of credit for delivering a competent narrative, full of human emotion.  Yes, this is a story set in World War II staring this author’s interpretations of Peter Pan and the Lost Boys, but the dialogue is infectiously real.  My only complaint is that I wish more would have happened in this book, because as good as this issue is it still feels like a stop-gap between this and the coming story arc.

Tyler Jenkins again does a wonderful job with the art, offering characters that fit the world and the story at play here.  The bold thick stylized lines yield a visual look that does not sacrifice form or function as it maintains a unique feel that’s true to itself.  If you’re looking to have a believable fantastical story that works in an artistic interpretation of a time in history that is often revisited, this is how you do it.

This issue doesn’t have the emotional impact of the previous release, but it’s a different type of comic book with a different narrative goal.  With a tale full of strong moments chock-full of excellent art, this comic book is well worth your money.  Recommended.

4/5