Army of Darkness #5 Review

Will Ash once again defeat the Deadites and save the world? Or has fate finally caught up for the boomstick wielding character? Read on to find out.

The official description from Dynamite:

The final issue of the “Ash in Space” saga! Ash may be lost in space, but his responsibilities as the Chosen One have followed him! The Deadit’s have launched a satellite that will broadcast their evil influence all over Earth. And before Ash can stop them, he has to find his way off a space station that is coming apart – explosively – around his ears!

Ash William’s trip into space comes to an end, as with the fate of the entire world at state, the “king” must kick some Deadite butt. My initial reaction to this series conclusion is disappointment. Not so much in the content, but in the fact that there’s no obvious direction for this franchise going forward. That being said, I do think that “Ash in Space” has ran it’s course, and that though it was a nifty idea to send this beloved character and his deadly foes into the stars, it’s not the location that I want the series to remain long term.

The way that Cullen Bunn has built this comical space opera has been nothing short of amazing, as though the concept is one that leaves me in two minds, the writer has done the best that he possibly can. As far as conclusions go, Bunn manages to give an exciting series of events, that at the same time leaves the door open for a potential future. It also is full of witty dialogue, with Ash being as mischievous as ever. The most impressive part of this script however, has to be when Ash is out in the void of space, with the voiceless sequence, and entertaining narrative showing great creativity.

The visuals that Larry Watts has been producing on this series never fails to impress, and as we enter it’s final issue that isn’t about to change. Capturing Ash’s likeness in a way that’s both true to the character, whilst at the same time fitting his unique style, Watts certainly knows how to garner the attention of this Evil Dead fan. His fast paced, energetic layouts also manages to keep things visually interesting, with the fight sequences between Ash and the Deadites being as astonishing as ever. The colours of Aikau Oliva also manages to bring some punch, with the mixture of dark and vibrant tones giving great texture.

Army of Darkness‘ latest series comes to an end, and an impressive one at that. Yes, the entire concept was one that this fanboy was never going to be fully aboard, but the creative team has manages to do great work with it. This finale reflects the work that they’ve put in, and though I’m eager to learn the future of the franchise at Dynamite, this is a comic I’ll gladly return to in the meantime.