Planetoid #5 Review


Its been a while, but here it is: the end to Ken Garing’s Planetoid. This series has been an impressive display from the one-man comic machine, but does Planetoid #5 end the series on a high?

The official description from Image:

Warfare ensues as the tyrannical forces of the Ono Mao attempt to wipe out the planetoid’s only hope for civilization!

There’s certainly a lot to take in in this issue. A lot gets wrapped up, even if its not as in-depth as you’d expect. There’s a decent conclusion for the titular planetoid as a whole, and Silas gets a fairly decent ‘redemption’ moment, even if its a little obvious.

Ken Garing writes a fair conclusion, although it does cut corners in some aspects. There’s quite a lot going on, and the writing keeps it in a fluid, if linear, pacing. There’s even an epilogue of sorts, too. This isn’t something most mini-series can boast, but it doesn’t feel coerced or forced in. Also, the final moments of Silas are a little cliche. The whole ‘anti-hero comes back’ aspect is overused, but it does fit the character none the less, and is something that fits the title since it began. Whether the ending is appealing enough depends on what you wanted from this series; some people may want to see everyone escape, others may want to a bigger message. Personally, I don’t want to spoil anything.

As for the art work, Ken Garing also ends on a high. The art is vibrant and colorful where it needs to be, such as the outdoor shots and fight scenes, but contrasts with dark greys and moody environments where it needs to. The layout also helps, pulling up larger panels where it needs to, ensuring that the detail is never cramped or sacrificed. It was probably quite a lot of work, but Planetoid #5 shows off the highlights of a singular vision and creative team of one person.

In closing, I’d say this is a fairly impressive finish. In only 5 issues, Planetoid has been a fun, yet deep enough, adventure in a hostile, gritty science fiction setting. Also, there’s a robot dinosaur at various points. Does it need to make sense? Not really; its just awesome.

4/5

S#!T Talking Central