THE GRAVEYARD FACTION part 1: AN ALLIANCE OF SINEW
After the events of the last issue, The Movement is spreading across the nation, with loosely affiliated groups in 10 cities. This is making a lot of powerful people nervous. While some people see The Movement as heroes, others see them as domestic terrorists who need to be shut down. Jason Cannon has called a special meeting of wealthy businesspeople and government officials in Coral City to discuss how to deal with this problem. And Cannon plans to call in some special help.
Meanwhile, in the Sweatshop, the Movement and their allies are putting Officers Pena and Whitt on trial, which is being filmed and broadcast on trial. As when they were originally captured, Pena is contrite, but Whitt remains belligerent. In an interesting little twist, Tremor acts as their public defender in the “trial” and reveals some heroic acts Whitt has performed in the line of duty. Another credit to the writing of Gail Simone, showing that sometimes who you think is bad isn’t completely “bad.” There’s a line where Pena talks about what it’s like being a cop. “You go out to try to help people, try to protect you them. And they hate your guts. Point at you, call you names. Kids call you pigs. Kids.”
This does cause some of the members of the group to re-think their actions, but not all (and certainly not Katharsis). As this is going on, Captain Meers meets with Virtue at a diner, trying to declare a truce. He wants his officers freed, and promises to institute certain reforms in police policy in exchange. The scene between the two is interesting, as you have two who are both trying to do what they believe is the right thing, although they have vastly different idea of what that means and how it should accomplished. And they’re both keeping their guard up, with Meers leaving the meeting determined to find out exactly who Virtue really is.
Then two incidences converge. When the “trial” rests and goes to the jury, Vengeance Moth is leading Pena and Whitt back to their cell. Whitt tries to escape by knocking her out of her chair, and then we finally get a glimpse of her powers…
Yeah, she isn’t so helpless after all.
These leads to another fight with Katharsis, and then Tremor reveals her true allegiance. Meanwhile, we see the Cornea Killer about to attack his latest victim, only to be confronted by Mouse, ready with his “friends” (the army of mice) to take him down. But the killer is not alone…
Another dramatic issue, lighter on action than previous issue, but the story remains gripping and moving forward. There’s also a little subplot with Mouse who has developed a crush on someone. I know that in most of these reviews I got out of my way to praise Gail Simone’s writing, but it’s equally matched by the artwork of Freddie Williams II, his style fits the thematic tone of this title so well, I can’t imagine anyone else drawing it. It’s a great creative team on a great book.
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