Writer: Jay Faerber
Artists: Mahmud A. Asrar, Ron Riley(c)
Publisher: Image
If I were to compare Dynamo 5 to The Four Horsemen, it would easily earn five bullets. There are certain similarities in the aims, but the execution is far more successful in Dynamo 5.
The main story in the book deals with a serial killer having cold-based powers, chilling a name for himself. Scrap and Slingshot volunteer to take him down. Meanwhile the rest of the kids, explain their whereabouts to their foster families. Last issue the Feds took them into custody. Dynamo 5 also features two guest-stars and one name-check that while in the Faerberverse lies outside of the intrinsic continuity of the book.
Let's discuss first the continuity checks. Unlike Checkmate's insinuation, the continuity in Dynamo 5 does not take you out of the story, nor do the references detract from the stars. You needn't have read Noble Causes to get the mention of "Doc Noble." As soon as somebody says Doc, three allusive choices spring to mind: Bugs Bunny, the dwarf and Doc Savage. Given that Dynamo 5 is a super-hero book, the dialogue must refer to a Doc Savage type analogue. Faerber explains the guest-stars, whose identity I'll keep secret, through their actions and dialogue that reveals their relationship. They gel with Scrap and Slingshot rather than clash.
Outside of the continuity references, the simple story spotlighting Scrap and Slingshot simultaneously crafts a tough gal slug-out against a formidable villain and plausibly shows the drawbacks to having a secret identity that are linked to the extended family theme of series. The artwork by Asrar is a little sketchier this issue, but it's still palatable when compared to the homogeneous and simply bad art metastasizing through the DC books. Lest you misinterpret, Pat Oliffe's Four Horsemen work is splendid, but he can't save the mini-series.
Whereas I can't accept the Four Horsemen as anything but generic monsters with vague powers, Faerber gives me a reason to find the villain of the piece cold as ice. Whereas Superman can't kill the Four Horsemen with a jury-rigged comet, Scrap can beat the badguy if she gets an opportunity to punch his lights out. Her power and his defense is well defined.
Compared to The Four Horsemen, Dynamo 5 is a five bullet book. That said, when compared to its own superior sampling, this issue is simply an adequate time-killer. Hence, it earns three bullets instead of four or five. It's a good issue, but there aren't any revelations or particularly inventive moments like previous issues.
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