The Fuse #5 Review

Can Ralph survive the cablers? Read on to find out.

The official description from Image:

Two hobos murdered in cold blood. Homeless living in maintenance ducts. A high-flying mayor with a scandalous secret. Unreliable witnesses, lying suspects, and nothing but the cold vacuum of space outside. All in a day’s work for MCPD Homicide… 22,000 miles straight up. Welcome to the Fuse.

The Fuse is one of those series that you either appeals to you or not. Being a huge fan of both sci-fi and detective stories it has definitely appealed to me. Following last issues gripping conclusion I couldn’t wait to read this issue. Like most suspenseful cliffhangers this one didn’t really pay off too much with the outcome being rather swift at coming. Despite this the rest of the issue proved to be extremely exciting.

Antony Johnston has been doing a wonderful job on the scripts for this series, combining sci-fi and mystery perfectly. The way that he builds suspense and portrays drama is captivating to say the least with the exciting flow also being outstanding. The natural and organic flow of dialogue in this issue also really impressed me with Klem’s space jargon and Ralph’s German outbursts giving some realism. The detective work in this issue however wasn’t quite as good as the previous issues with Klem’s desperation giving a muddled atmosphere. On the other hand the lack of conviction did add to the suspense.

Justin Greenwood continues to produce a bold look for this story as though his art might not be the most detailed you’ll find it certainly suits this series. The layout and scenery of this issue is simply astonishing with the depth of field adding a lot of dramatic tone of the issue. Despite all this I do find his shaded backgrounds to be a little jarring at times as despite adding impact on certain panels the jarring nature is still slightly unappealing.

The Fuse The Russian Shift is almost at an end with the series first story proving to be captivating and a must have for both detective and sci-fi fans. Highly recommended.