We’re halfway through the event with issue #5 coming out this week. Last issue did spark some improvement and my overall opinion of the series is that it’s on the rise. Can Convergence continue the upward trend? Is it good?
Convergence #5 (DC Comics)
Minimal highs. Lots of lows. Convergence has just been an overload in the feels domain and not in a good way. The beginning is flooded with more debriefing narration by Grayson as well as Deimos, Telos, and Brainiac bickering about loyalties so there’s a lot of text action from a lot of different sources. Deimos, who has Brainiac contained in a force field, explains that Telos has been lied to about who and what he truly is, revealing his origin to everyone present. Apparently Telos was a warrior and on the night of the Blood Moon Brainiac arrived and transformed him into his present state and his world into the convergence site.
From that point the issue becomes a disarray of characters trying to make up their minds on who to align themselves with. A fight breaks out and there’s just so much confusion for the reader as to why everything is happening and why the sudden change in direction. When all is said and done we are left with a new main villain, an end to the brief Brainiac cameo, and a new main plot line for all the contenders within the Convergence event. This issue is pivotal to the series and it’s new direction, the only problem is it’s hard to even care anymore.
We’ll start with the lows first. The number of speakers within the first couple pages clutters the pages and makes it more difficult to follow the dialogue. Because the discussion deals with switching allegiances, the artwork further confuses things with the alternating facial expression and body positions (One moment Telos is intimidated by Deimos while the next panel he’s confidently back to back with the sorcerer, but then the next panel he’s changed positions and is afraid again). The art as a whole was disappointing and I haven’t had a real problem with it until this issue. The Flash’s body movements are awkwardly proportioned and Deimos bears some cheesy villainous smiles. This issue just wasn’t there visually for me.
I think the real problem with this series that has plagued it from the first few issues is not what the comics are depicting, but the fact a large portion of the readers don’t consider the events significant to them (And I say majority because I recognize, as pointed out to me, some people are enjoying the event). This is just my opinion. I don’t care to see a Deimos and Warlord battle (nor did I weep when he died). The Brainiac/Telos/Deimos debate was so mishandled that I didn’t care what happened — I just wanted someone to decide who they were going to beat up. I want to become invested in some characters before they pull out some stunts involving them. They’re getting there with Grayson, but he’s the only one thus far.
Why are you suddenly so confident and buddy buddy with Deimos for this one panel? This makes no sense given the context.
I also had a small problem with Grayson. Even with Telos presently out of the picture, Dick is still mobile with his reinforced body coating which isn’t as shimmering anymore. Was it really worth shooting him in the first place if he was just going to be cured a couple pages into the next issue? Dick was paralyzed for approximately 5 pages. I did enjoy Dick’s enthusiasm for assuming a more Batman-esque role towards the end of the issue and it looks as though he will assume the cowl post-Convergence.
Is It Good?
I really wanted to enjoy this issue and I just couldn’t. The beginning of the issue seems mismanaged and the rest of the issue failed to peak my interest. The art does have some good scenes, but is very hit or miss throughout the issue. With a complete change in direction, maybe our new main villain will bring Convergence what it needs.
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