Here we are a few issues into the time jump of Noble Causes. In an exclusive interview we recently spoke with Mr. Faerber at length about the future of Noble Causes, only to learn that he'd be ending it with issue #40. Well, this is issue #36, and he's got a lot of wrapping up to do in order to squeeze this one into a nice and neat package.

The pacing of this issue is quite haphazard when compared to the rest of the tight moments in Faerber's overall work. The story doesn't come off as feeling loose or confusing; it's just that it feels so clumsy compared to everything else. Celeste is in a scrap with Amy's imposter who, as of now, possesses Comet's Amulet. Think of a piece of jewelry a lot like the Green Lantern's ring and you'll get a pretty good idea of just how devastating this is. The fight spans around three-quarters of the issue as the rest of the Noble family gets involved.

I'll give Cinar a lot of credit here as the panel layout and art is absolutely stellar. The layout itself is like nothing I've ever seen from the series; it's dynamic and catchy, and it looks fantastic! The action sequences are all beautiful, and the cover is one of the best parts of the entire issue. Overall, for an issue so crammed with happenings, Cinar and Vera do a wonderful job. This is one of the best looking Noble Causes issues to date, and with the end coming so soon it may be the best of the entire run.

Back to Faerber's writing: while I said that the pacing of the issue feels a bit random and clumsy I don't want to make it seem like the dialogue and development of this moment in the plot are all that bad. All of the qualities of this issue fit in perfectly with the rest of the story. Faerber's knack for making readers question the motives of every individual in every panel shines through as you'll probably be wondering who you can trust until the very last splash. That's what makes this series so perfect; Faerber has a great ability to keep you guessing. As for the moments of dialogue, well, they read just like they always have. The only questionable point, which I know is on purpose, is Rusty's robotic tone. I'm fully confident that Faerber will be able to provide a reason for this dry sense of self for Rusty, but I'm just hoping it's a good one and it doesn't come rushed.

Noble Causes is still going to be the series you love until the very end. I know that I am just one among the many who are going to hate the moment I finish the final issue. I have grown to look at the Noble family as a dysfunctional set of my own pets, as strange as that sounds. I'm here every single time to see what they're going to do next. This will always be one of my favorite series. This issue is only a minor point of mediocrity in an otherwise incredible run.

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