Smith finally figures out how to pace a comic book. It’s a shame he does it for his last issue.

There’s a lot more Smith-type humor in this issue, which both works and doesn’t. As for his revelation Mulan is a lesbian….

It opens up certain possibilities but closes off a bunch of other ones. He also does it at the very end of the issue so he can turn it into a joke instead of having to deal with it. Given he just got done having the original Kato (oh, yeah, he survived… no explanation) avenge the original Hornet, one would assume Smith would want to establish a strong relationship between the characters.

But no, he just turns it into a joke.

What’s worse, he finally got chemistry between the characters (he was being too clean before).

It’s a harmless series. It might even develop into something good.

Ugh. What’s worse than Smith doing three action scenes and calling it an issue? Doing one and, essentially, a chase sequence and calling it an issue.

Sure, there’s some of his banter between Britt and Mulan, but it’s barely banter.

What’s far more interesting about this issue is the supervillains. The young Japanese guy has turned into an outrageous villain, something Smith avoided prepping. Either he skipped it due to space concerns or because, while it works, it’s exceptionally anti-Japanese. Smith’s villain is a too smart man-child out to destroy the U.S. because of WWII. Except he can’t even concentrate long enough for that plan–too many video games, presumably–because he’s so moronic he needs to risk his business profits killing the Green Hornet… and orphans.

Smith actually gives Mulan some character here, but it’s too little, too late.

I think the issue reads in three minutes.

Smith requires the reader to forget everything he or she has learned about Kato in the previous seven issues and assume he’s an idiot. He’s an idiot and he gets killed because he acts like an idiot, not a genius strategist.

The entire issue is something of a wash. For example, the corrupt mayor who gets Britt Sr. killed gets killed immediately after being revealed, saving any morally dubious outcome. Then there’s the way Smith paces the action scenes. The first one resolves the last issue’s cliffhanger and rolls into the second action scene, which rolls into the cliffhanger.

Since it’s based on a screenplay, it’s Smith revving up for the third act. He’s been having these adaptation problems since the first issue, so it’s not really a surprise.

It’s sort of unfortunate though. Smith’s dialogue and the general likability of Britt (young Tony Stark grows up) have garnered sympathy.

Smith does a little bit more with this issue. He at least brings in the bigger storyline with the bickering father and son Japanese supervillains. Smith’s very obviously influenced by the Burton Batman movies here in terms of plot. Regardless of what problems the two have, Smith’s cast his Britt Reid into Burton’s Bruce Wayne’s movie adventures. This issue’s party mimics Batman Returns‘s to a certain degree and the whole thing just feels like Batman with a different costume.

Again, a lack of character development for Mulan this issue. It’s seemingly inevitable she and Britt will get romantically involved, but perhaps Smith isn’t going for the eventuality… as he’s not doing any prep work for it.

The arc (it’s ongoing, right?) should be wrapping up, but Smith hasn’t done much with the story in terms of epical drama. Britt’s change is too forced (and abbreviated).

Still, it’s a readable curiosity.