For the first time on Powerbomb, there’s cause for concern. I’m not actually concerned because I’ve got faith in creator Daniel Warren Johnson—he’s more than earned it by this point—but this issue’s at the “shit or get off the pot” moment in the series, and Johnson’s approach is to ask for five more minutes.
The issue opens fine, flashing back to Cobrasun after his wife’s death, checking in with his brother-in-law, who gives him a good smack. Johnson then goes back even further to Cobrasun and the wife’s meet cute. She was scouting wrestlers and took to him, despite the way he wears his mask to hide something. In the present, Lona is injured and unconscious, so their “I’m your father, Luke” conversation is also delayed—who knows how the issue would read if Johnson didn’t constantly delay promised moments. Cobrasun’s freaking out, but then there are also their competitors from last issue duking it out.
At the end of last issue, Johnson promised a doozy of a fight between the competitors, who both have a dead child to resurrect, so there can be only one. It’s disappointing Johnson rushes through their fight, always going for perfunctory or worse (using TV footage to recap something).
Johnson does get around to one of his outstanding threads, which may or may not foreshadow the big resolution next issue.
He’s a lot more invested in the flashbacks—and rounding Cobrasun out as a character—and it would have been better just to do this issue for Cobrasun. I’m not sure. Maybe next issue will make everything okay, but… there’s cause for concern.
The more I think about the issue, the more pronounced the problems become and, consequently, the more I worry about the finale.
Maybe if the final twist weren’t the biggest eye roll of a deus ex machina possible.
Great art as always, with Johnson proving very adept at the character drama. Hence, a full flashback issue for Cobrasun’s secret origin would’ve been a better choice.
Either way, there will be lots to talk about next time. Unless Johnson just pushes it off to Powerbomb Too.
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