Publisher: Image Comics
Writer: Justin Jordan
Artist: Matteo Scalera, Moreno Dinisio
Release Date: 28th May 2014

Action. Violence. Blood. Three things we’ve been guaranteed in the five previous issues of Dead Body Road, and three things that issue #6 deliver in spades. For the climax to the series it ticks all the boxes, providing the satisfaction of revenge and the satisfaction of a resolved ending. I sat and read all six issues of this series back to back to write this review, and really there’s no better way to read it. It read like an action movie from start to finish with scenes of information and then plenty – and I mean plenty – of scenes of unnecessary, yet fantastic – violence and blood. Creating a story in comics today that does not revolve around something heroic, sci fi or fantasy is not an easy task to take on. And to accomplish that feat as well as Dead Body Road does is truly commendable. It felt like taking every action movie I have ever watched and selecting both the best and worst qualities of those movies and incorporating them into this single six issue story. Well done, gentlemen.

This issue is hard to give much of a plot synopsis for without giving away spoilers. So with that in mind all I will say is this – grab the book sit in your favorite chair and let the action and violence ensue as you reach the climax to this gripping tale. The action is there from the get-go and doesn’t stop until the end. All the questions are answered within the last few pages and you will definitely not be left questioning the choice of the end.

I feel that Justin Jordan created a strong action thriller story with strong characters, strong plot definition and a fast-paced layout to keep the comic reader in the story, moment by moment and page to page. Every character had its place and job to accomplish for the story to be told, and I believe every character nailed their role. For Jordan to create a character like Orson Gage, whose main purpose is revenge, but to also infuse him with the underlying desire to redeem himself in some small way for his previous mistakes makes him a complicated, multi-latered character. Not an easy character to create let alone keep constant, especially with his cold, seemingly emotionless demeanor, but Jordan truly delivers. Orson Gage, if ever he were to make it on the “big screen”, could easily stand some of our greatest cinematic Action Heroes from past and present.

Now, to the artwork, provided here by Matteo Scalera. I honestly don’t know where to start. I fell in love with his artwork on Black Science and seeing his work here only increases that love. He has a way of taking his gritty yet detailed style and drawing you into the pages. I found myself, as I read, moving along with the story. To me the panels weren’t still images frame by frame, but rather it felt like the comic in my hand was my favourite media device playing a movie. The visuals flowed perfectly with the story being told, making the book come to life and jump off the pages. While this particular issue didn’t have the double page spreads of his that I have come to love, it still featured plenty of intense action scenes, as well as scenes without action where the panels were just as intense and dynamic. I for one hope to see Matteo Scalera as a staple in comics for years to come.

Rating: 5/5.

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The writer of this piece was: Shane Hoffman (aka “Hoff”)
You can also find Hoff on Twitter.