Noir #5 Review

This is it!  But now that we’ve reached the end does the rock-solid mini-series finish on a high note? Read on to find out.

The official description from Dynamite:

FINAL ISSUE!!! Lost in the labyrinth of the Templars and separated from the others, Miss Fury must outwit the demented Minerva and the Mohawk Akash. Meanwhile, The Black Sparrow has problems of her own. The sadistic Orlando has overdosed on Dr. Ravels super serum and he’s out for blood. And just what is the lost treasure of the Templars that the Mohawks guard so jealously? Find out in the exciting conclusion of NOIR!

Kudos to the creative team, because from the first issue on this has been an absolutely engaging crossover that fans of both characters are bound to enjoy. And with this entry in I can report that the talents behind this gave up a fitting jaunt that did not disappoint.

Victor Gischler hands in another competent romp. We see both Miss Fury and The Black Sparrow thrown into final confrontations that evenly distribute the villainous obstacles. What makes the whole yarn worthwhile is the witty dialogue, as a spunky back and forth propels all the players toward a foreseeable end. That’s not to say that I wasn’t drawn in by what I was reading, but rather it just felt like a by-the-numbers way to conclude. But as the revelation regarding the McGuffin of the piece comes to the surface it left me a bit underwhelmed.

The art in this outing is a tad chaotic but more often than not it’s rather appealing to the eye. The illustrations done by Andrea Mutti fit the tempo of the script, as the renditions featured here take almost nothing away from the festivities. There were some instances where facial expressions seemed inconsistent but these were few and far between. Combine the pencil strokes with the dynamic colors done by Vladimir Popov and you have a striking package.

Noir #5 is a finish that never rises to perfection. But it never drops the literary ball either as it coasts to a more than worthwhile recommendation.